Becoming a Legend: Tale of The Second Yellow Flash
by Anbu frost
Summary: Things take a turn for the worse on the search for Tsunade mission when Tsunade decides to betray Jiraiya and agrees to Orochimaru's plan to heal his arms. Now with the threat of the Fourth Great Ninja War looming over the shoulders of Konoha they must go to drastic measure to ensure that Konoha survives. Even if it means turning the son of their beloved Fourth Hokage into a weapon
1. Chapter 1:Death of a Legend

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did I would be rolling in money right now.**

**Becoming a Legend**

**Chapter 1: Death of a Legend**

_The ultimate test of a man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose word of thanks will not be heard. - Gaylord Nelson_

Shizune burst into the room her usual straight black hair tangled, her face distraught, and missing one of her sandals. Before Naruto could comment on her rather startling entrance into the small room Shizune took a deep breath before she began to speak.

"Where is Jiraiya?" she began, her eyes darting around the room hoping to see the shaggy mane of white hair that defined Jiraiya of the sannin. Bright blue eyes stared at the distraught young woman before Naruto shrugged and pointed back at Shizune.

"I dunno the last time I saw him the old hag Tsunade was dragging him off to a bar. Something about reminiscing about the past."

Letting the insulting remark on her master slide Shizune grabbed the younger boy and with a huff began dragging him out of the room. "What do you need that perv for anyway," Naruto said hastily placing his sandals on and closing the door.

"Lady Tsunade is in danger," she replied

" Danger," The blonde echoed still disoriented from being so abruptly awakened.

"Yes danger. Orochimaru offered Tsunade the chance to see her dead younger brother Nawaki Senju and my uncle, her lover Dan Kato."

At the mention of Orochimaru Naruto's eyes narrowed and he began to shake with anger remembering whose fault it was that they had to search for a replacement Hokage in the first place.

"That bastard he will pay for killing old man Hokage and for giving Sasuke that weird hickey," Shizune put a hand on Naruto's shoulder in a gesture to get him to control his anger, there were more serious things to handle at the moment. "Where would Orochimaru get the power to raise the dead in the first place?" Naruto questioned.

"It's called **Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei,**" a voice slurred from behind the pair.

"You look like crap." The eccentric teen was quick to point out as Jiraiya walked towards them clothes in tatters and favoring his right leg.

"Believe me kid I feel like crap," Jiraiya said still shuffling towards them in a awkward fashion.

"We need to find Tsunade before she rendezvouses with Orochimaru and heals him. If Orochimaru gets fully functional arms again he will have the power to mount another attack on the village while we are still recovering and without a Hokage to lead us.",Jiraiya said his voice shaking as he let out a wheezing cough.

"Okay then i'm ready to kick that snake back to whatever rock he crawled from under," the blonde replied a look of determination shining in his eyes.

"Tsunade was definitely here," Jiraiya announced to Naruto and Shizune as he stooped to examine a sandal print that lead out of the small gambling town Tanzaku-gai.

Naruto squinted at the small footprint that to him looked just like any other foot print that littered the dusty road leading out of the town.

"How can you be so sure that its her footprint though?" asked the blonde as he stared up at the sun that was lazing in the middle of the sky without a care in the world.

"Its hers alright," was Jiraiya's quick response towards the blond.

With a leap Jiraiya jumped on a tree branch and began hopping away from the town towards a cluster of trees far in the distance. Grumbling Naruto followed him with Shizune shortly behind him holding the pig Tonton who was trying his best to wiggle out of her arms.

A hot white ball of flames screamed towards the trio as the were a couple hops away from a clearing. Shizune jumped to the side grabbing the back of Naruto's jacket as she flew past and turning her head and firing a senbon out of her mouth at the same time. Jiraiya stood in the way of the fireball balancing perfectly on a skinny tree branch his hands blurring through hand signs blisteringly fast.

"**Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu," **Jiraiya intoned as he jumped back and let loose a waterfall from his mouth.

The large wave of water completely snuffed out the fireball and continued on until it entered the clearing where two figures stood. The figures jumped in opposite directions as the wave came screaming towards them destroying everything in its path.

"Kukuku," replied a deep voice as a figure emerged from behind a damaged tree. "Impeccable aim as always Jiraiya-chan," Orochimaru mocked.

"Spare me your bullshit Orochimaru I have no patience for your stupidity, hand over Tsunade and maybe I will decide not to kill you." Jiraiya yelled over the roar of the waves crashing into the ground.

As quick as lighting Orochimaru appeared by the side of Jiraiya. He launched a furious set of kicks at the side of Jiraiya's head only for him to disappear in a poof of smoke. Jiraiya instantly responded coming from Orochimaru's blind spot with his hand extended, a **Rasengan** the size of a basketball in the palm of his hands.

Orochimaru twisted out of the way of the **Rasengan** and kicked Jiraiya's arm off course causing him to crash into the ground. The two squared off again both cracking the ground under them with the pressure of their chakra.

Before the two could launch into another deadly dance a figure appeared between the two blocking both of their kicks with her bare hands.

"Stop it both of you," the woman shouted pushing both of them back and fixing Jiraiya with a glare.

The slug sannin fixed her old teammate with a heated glare before she averted her eyes and stared down at the ground. Knowing what she was going to do next would have a great affect on her for the rest of her life she mentally prepared herself before she folded her chakra in on itself and then released it in one huge burst.

The shock wave caused by the release of Tsunade's chakra caused both Orochimaru and Jiraiya to stumble backwards.

"I'm sorry Jiraiya I can't let you interfere, I have to see Nawaki and Dan they're all that matters to me in this cursed world and i'll be damned if I let you ruin that for me."

The look of hurt and anguish that flickered across Jiraiya's eyes made her pause for a second before she strengthened her resolve and charged towards Jiraiya her killing intent spiking as she aimed a fist directly at his heart.

Tsunade's outstretched fist clanged off the shield of the mighty toad Gamaken. From atop the head of Gamaken Jiraiya stared down at her a look of utter betrayal on his face before he slowly began to mold his chakra for a jutsu.

Naruto and Shizune appeared next to Jiraiya both of them bewildered by the turn of events that had completely destroyed the clearing they had arrived in.

Jiraiya turned towards Naruto before producing a scroll from his pocket, writing in it briefly, and giving it to Naruto before he turned towards Shizune.

"Take him back to the village as quickly as possible and if you possible try not to stop at any cost," Jiraiya barked at Shizune his tone of voice taking that of one who had authority.

"We're not leaving without you pervy sage," shouted Naruto his hands clenched at his sides as he gazed out at Tsunade and Orochimaru.

Jiraiya grinned briefly before his face turned serious and he stared hard at Naruto. "You'll be a great Hokage kid just like your dad, but in order for you to do that you must escape now," Jiraiya spoke.

"My dad, did you know who he was pervy sage? Please you have to tell me who he is." Naruto begged pulling on Jiraiya's sleeve like the kid he was.

Jiraiya sighed before he pushed Naruto towards Shizune and turned back towards the battlefield. "Take good care of him Shizune he's the future Hokage after all," Jiraiya proclaimed without turning around. "I'll buy you enough time to get well on your way towards Konoha, when you get there give the council that scroll and tell them that the will of the Nidaime must be carried out at all cost."

He fumbled in his pocket before pulling out a three pronged kunai attached to a cord. Jiraiya smiled briefly as he thrust it toward Naruto "This was your dads first prototype I would think he would want you to have it. Take care kid and remember that the true measure of a shinobi is not how he lives, but how he dies."

With those final words Shizune grabbed Naruto's hand and dashed west back towards the village hidden in the leaves.

"Do you really think i'll let the nine tails jinchūriki get away that easily?" Orochimaru asked as he signaled for Kabuto to chase after them.

"And do you really think i'll let you get your slimy hands on my godson?" Jiraiya called back towards Orochimaru as a wall of earth rose up between the retreating form of Shizune and Naruto.

"Face it Jiraiya you're outnumbered and surrounded, even without the use of my arms the only thing you have to look forward to is your death," Orochimaru called towards Jiraiya as he revealed the seal matrix on his arm.

Kabuto ran towards Orochimaru a kunai glinting in his hands as he cut Orochimaru allowing blood to trickle on the seal matrix causing a huge plume of smoke to temporarily cover the clearing. When the smoke cleared Orochimaru could be seen standing on the head of the boss summon of the snakes, Manda.

Jiraiya had not been idle and when the large screen of smoke appeared announcing the arrival of the slug queen Katsuyu two smaller poofs revealed the arrival of Ma and Pa standing on Jiraiya's shoulder.

Orochimaru and Tsunade rushed forward not giving Jiraiya the chance to gather natural energy for sage mode. Jiraiya ducked under Orochimaru's leg and aimed a jab at Tsunade in the same motion. Tsunade backpedaled away from the punch as Katsuyu let loose a ball of acid at point blank range.

Jiraiya raised his arms in a hasty defense to block the brunt of the attack. Kabuto rose out of the ground from behind Jiraiya his chakra scalpels poised to pierce his heart. Jiraiya's hair whipped behind him before hardening and blocking the attack from Kabuto.

While their summoners battled the giant summons duked it out in an epic clash of titans destroying the surrounding environment.

Jiraiya took careful aim and launched a fireball at the other two sannin, halfway to the pair the fireball grew and size and speed as Gamaken added oil to it.

Tsunade was quick to create a wall of water that caused the enlarged fireball to fizzle out and create a cloud of smoke. In the cover of smoke Jiraiya took the opportunity to create two shadow clones before he began to gather natural energy for sage mode. To his left he heard the sound of the first clone pop and he motioned for his other clone to cause a diversion to lead them away from the original. The clone of Jiraiya burst out of the cloud of smoke a rasengan in the palm of each hand. It didn't make it far as above it, descending from the sky, came the battle cry of Tsunade as she heel kicked it into the ground causing it to poof out of existence.

The original Jiraiya strode out of the smoke his eyes glinting, red lines framing his face, and the crackle of natural energy flowing in the air. He cracked his neck before exploding into Kabuto's guard utterly dismantling it before he jumped back and began a series of hand signs sending a air bullet spiraling towards Kabuto. He didn't stand a chance. He was dead before the air bullet tore through his chest cavity and drilled into a nearby tree.

Jiraiya set his eyes on Orochimaru and began molding his chakra and forming hand seals. Tsunade appeared in his guard,a jab aimed at his cheek before he completely disappeared from her field of vision.

"You've grown weak since your time away from the village," Jiraiya commented before he grabbed her outstretched arm and in one swift motion snapped it.

Tsunade lay broken on the ground her arm broken and tears leaking out of her eyes as she watched Orochimaru try desperately to weave under the attacks of the toad sage. She weeped for what had happened to her team, for how the rift between them had completely erased all of the camaraderie they once had shared, she weeped because of the person she had become - a gambling alcoholic who in the very end had betrayed the only person who loved her the most, and finally she wept because she understood what the lost of the sannin would mean for the village that her grandfather had founded.

As she lay there the feelings of remorse overwhelming her the seal on her forehead began to shine brightly before all her wounds were healed and she stood up straight. She would not die laying down she would die with the life blood of one of Konohas most notorious criminals on her hands.

Gamaken crashed next to Jiraiya his arm bleeding heavily and his shield missing. Jiraiya glanced at the summon briefly before he released the chakra binding the summon thus returning him home.

"Oi Orochimaru don't you think it's high time we stopped fooling around and finished this once and for all. Let's really see who was sensei's best student," Jiraiya called with a cocky grin.

Truthfully Jiraiya was exhausted the strain of maintaining natural energy and firing off jutsu after jutsu was taking a toll on the white haired sannin.

Orochimaru wasn't faring much better, the handicap of not being able to use his arms place a severe limit on what he was able to do causing him to rely on pure taijutsu as he couldn't do ninjutsu.

With one final look the two raced at each other. Orochimaru wielding the famed Kusanagi with his tongue and Jiraiya with his hand outstretched,a enlarged rasengan swirling in his palm. The two clashed in the center of the clearing; Orochimaru's Sword going clean through Tsunade's stomach and Jiraiya's rasengan slightly off course smashing into Orochimaru's shoulder driving him back.

Jiraiya dropped to one knee utterly exhausted as his eyes turned back to normal and Ma and Pa returned to Mount Myoboku he heard Orochimaru's laughter fill the battlefield as he pushed Tsunade's dead body off his blade.

"Even in the end she was completely useless, well I guess she saved you this time huh Jiraiya-chan," Orochimaru mocked as he strode towards Jiraiya his sword poised for the killing blow.

Jiraiya let loose a low chuckle before he grabbed Orochimaru's hand as he approached and raised a single hand sign. Orochimaru's eyes widened as he saw the field of explosion tags that littered the perimeter of the clearing.

"Damn that Tsunade to hell," was all Orochimaru could utter before the field rocked with explosions and he knew no more.

Miles away Shizune and Naruto stopped and turned as a large explosion rocked the forest around them causing birds to take flight and animals to scurry away. The cloud of smoke that rose into the sky was enough to tell the outcome of the fight, there were absolutely no survivors.

Naruto let a single tear fall from his eye as he began to shake and with a anguished cry he called out to the man that had become like a father to him.

"Jiraiya-sensei!"

And so with the death of three legendary shinobi the elemental nations is forever changed.

**Thank you very much if you read all the way through please leave a review and tell me if you liked it, hated it, loved it, or if you wish I would go jump off a bridge. So this is my very first fan fiction, that i've posted, and I would really appreciate it if you guys tell me if i'm doing something wrong or to give me constructive criticism. I want to learn from my mistakes so I can give better quality work to you guys! So until next time this is Asura signing off.**


	2. Chapter 2: Revelations

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did I would be rolling in money right now.**

**Becoming a Legend**

**Chapter 2: Revelations and A New Ninja Way**

_There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. - Edith Wharton _

The sun blazed in the sky beating down heavily on the villagers that inhabited the village hidden in the leaves. As the villagers awoke beginning the hustle and bustle of selling wares two young Chunin sat at a gate guarding it. They are the defenders of their village, the first line of defense against those who would wish harm upon their village. Yes, the gallant gate watchers are the unsung heroes of the leaf.

"Oi Izumo you wanna sneak off and go to that new tea shop that just opened," Kotetsu called to his partner in crime as he propped himself up on his elbow and kicking Izumo underneath the table in the process.

Izumo glared at Kotetsu and stretched as he woke up, "What the hell are yapping about now? We still have guard duty for another four hours dumb ass."

"Who the hell are you calling dumb ass you lazy prick," Kotetsu yelled also standing up and getting in Izumo's face while poking him in the chest.

"Well you're the only dumb ass that I see sitting around so I must be talking to you," Izumo said pushing Kotetsu backwards.

Kotetsu stumbled backwards into the desk they were sitting by and scattered all the papers on the ground.

"I'm not even sitting down you blind fool," Kotetsu said trying and failing to stand.

"Now look what you did you idiot," Izumo lamented thinking of how much trouble they would get in for messing up again.

Kotetsu got up brushing himself off before he pointed a finger at Izumo in a childlike fashion, "You pushed me," he accused.

"I'll give you another reason to put a bandage on your face," Izumo proclaimed pulling a kunai out of his ninja pouch and advancing on Kotetsu.

Kotetsu mirrored him reaching over his shoulder and pulling out his conch shell mace. He looked at his friend before he began a mad dash towards him.

Before the two could clash a gentle voice cleared her throat.

"Uh excuse me,"A soft voice spoke startling the two in the middle of their dash and making them trip before colliding.

"Ah I think you broke something you bastard," Kotetsu complained holding the back of his head.

"That is what you get for being so stupid. There is nothing up there anyway you should be fine."

Shizune had become impatient while the two argued once again. What kind of gentleman kept a lady waiting?

"I SAID EXCUSE ME," she bellowed once again stopping the two before they could began to fight.

Izumo turned first and finally noticed the presence of two other people at the gate of Konoha. Hearts appeared in his eyes as he appeared in front of Shizune on one knee and began kissing her arm.

"I have waited so long for such an angel too bless me with her presence. Marry me now and I will forever be yours to keep," Izumo proclaimed staring at Shizune.

"Personal space," Shizune ground out as she punted the poor Chunin across the village.

"Ne, I think you over did it Shizune-nee," Naruto said squinting at the speck in the sky that had once been Izumo Kamizuki.

Kotetsu weeped for his fallen comrade who had once again been punted to the deepest levels of the friend zone. Kotetsu snapped himself out of his funk and looked at the two hard before he finally realized that the short blonde kid in the hideous jumpsuit was actually Naruto. He ran towards the kid fully intent on throttling him for the five dollars he stole out of his wallet when he left for his mission with Jiraiya.

Kotetsu paused mid stride and voiced his concern, "Hey wheres Jiraiya and who is this girl your with Naruto? She couldn't possibly be your girlfriend could she."

At the mention of Jiraiya Naruto bowed his head and took off running down the street.

"Whats his problem? I was only teasing him a little," Kotetsu asked turning towards Shizune.

Shizune sighed before she looked around the village that had become so unfamiliar to her since she left with Tsunade all those years ago. Thinking of Tsunade also made her remember memories of better times and she openly wept for her fallen sensei.

"Are you okay miss?" Kotetsu said putting a hand on her shoulder and leading her towards the desk located at the entrance of the village.

Shizune wiped her tear streaked face and beamed at Kotetsu, "Yes i'm okay thank you. Uh you wouldn't happen to know where the Hokage tower is would you?"

Kotetsu face palmed before he pointed to a building in the middle of the village. "It's that huge building right there, how could you have possibly missed it?"

Shizune blushed in embarrassment before she bowed low and thanked Kotetsu. She grabbed Tonton who had managed to wiggle out of her grip and headed towards where she believed the strange man at the gate had pointed.

Kotetsu sweat dropped as he watched Shizune go in the complete opposite direction of where he had directed her. Alas yet another day of guarding the gate.

"I really hate this job."

Naruto wrapped his legs in on himself and rocked back and forth as he let tears cascade down his face he fingered the odd kunai hanging from his neck. Jiraiya had said that it was his fathers which could only mean that the two were close.

Naruto continued to sob believing that it was his fault that Jiraiya had died. If only he had been stronger maybe then Jiraiya wouldn't have had to protect him from Orochimaru and they both would have returned to the leaf village. He cursed the snake bastard for taking the last connection that he had to his parents.

He didn't want to go and face the council and see their accusing looks and their disgust. He had caused one of Konoha's most renowned shinobi to die. He stood up wiping the tears from his face and hardening his resolve he slashed through his hand letting the blood drench through his clenched fist he thrust it towards the sky before he swore to never let a comrade die ever again. He would become stronger and protect everyone in the village or die trying or his name wasn't Naruto Uzumaki.

Jiraiya's death would not be in vain he would become the great shinobi that Jiraiya believed he would be and he would surpass his father and become the greatest Hokage the world had ever witnessed.

Naruto gazed out at the Hokage monument specifically at the head of the Yondaime Hokage and smirked. Soon his head would be up there next to the great legends that had all put their lives on the line for the village and had died heroic deaths.

"Oi dobe what the hell are you doing in the middle of the street yelling at the sun for?" Kiba hollered at the blonde.

Naruto scratched his head sheepishly as he let out a large grin, "Heh nothing to concern yourself with Kiba."

"Well I have to deliver this leader to the council for my mom wanna come with?" Kiba asked scratching between Akamaru's ears.

"Oh shit the council!" Naruto exclaimed rushing off to the Hokage's office all the while berating himself.

Kiba was left standing in the middle of the crowded market completely bewildered and at a lost for words.

Shizune took the stairs to the Hokage's office two at a time in a rush to get the letter that Jiraiya had entrusted her with to the council. She paused at the door of the office and hesitated briefly before she knocked politely on the door.

"Enter," came the scratchy reply of a voice on the other side of the door.

Shizune swung the large oak doors open before she walked in and bowed deeply. When she rose she smiled as memories of being in the Hokage office in the past sprung up in her mind. The Hokage's office really hadn't changed much in the time she had been gone, the large wooden desk still sat in the same place in front of three windows that gave a perfect view of the village below, the walls were still decorated with the faces of the previous Hokage's.

"And you are," drawled a voice in front of her snapping her out of her trip down memory lane.

"Oh excuse me," she began bowing deeply again at the man that sat at the desk usually reserved for the Hokage. She observed him. There really wasn't much she could see of the man-his right eye was concealed by bandages and his other eye was closed, his left hand rested on a cane that he tapped on the floor impatiently.

"What are you here for?" he asked her again as she seemed to be in another dream like daze.

"Uh.. I am Shizune. I was the apprentice of Tsunade Senju, she began fumbling over her words in the presence of one who seemed to leak power out of his pores.

"You were the apprentice of Tsunade you say?" He asked his eyebrow raising a fraction as his lone eye opened and scrutinized her.

Shizune fidgeted under his gaze and her hand reached in her pocket and retrieved the scroll Jiraiya had given her.

"Jiraiya-Sama told me to give this to the council as soon as I reached Konoha."

"And where is Jiraiya that he could not give it to me in person?" Danzo questioned grabbing the scroll out of her hands.

She swallowed and looked him directly in the eye, "He's dead, him and Tsunade died to ensure that Orochimaru would never see the light of day ever again."

This caught Danzo's attention and he immediately snapped his fingers. Two ANBU agents dropped from the ceiling and to kneel in front of the Hokage's desk.

"Announce to the clan heads and the shinobi council that a meeting will commence in exactly five minutes. Tardiness will not be tolerated make sure they understand that." With Danzo's orders they rose and flickered away to give the message.

"Come we must go to the meeting room," Danzo said gesturing for Shizune to follow him.

Just as Danzo opened the door to the Hokage's office Naruto came running in screeching to a halt before he toppled over the desk sending papers scattering everywhere.

"Ouch that was a rough landing," Naruto complained rubbing his head.

Danzo had no time for the antics of Naruto and roughly grabbed him by the scruff of his jumpsuit. "I suppose you are also involved in this fiasco you will attend the meeting as well."

Danzo hauled Naruto through the hall Shizune following behind before they made it to a room with tables lining the wall and a place for the Hokage and his three advisers to sit.

People were already beginning to trickle in as the three arrived. Among them were the various clan heads, high ranking shinobi, the captain of the ANBU, and the other two members that made up the Hokage's council.

Danzo glanced at the clock before he officially began the meeting.

"Welcome esteemed members of the council, He began calling attention to himself." He gazed out at everyone in the room before he spoke again, "With the recent death of many of our shinobi and the combined Suna Oto attack not to mention the death of our beloved Hokage the moral of our shinobi is very low. A week ago we sent Jiraiya of the sannin on a mission to retrieve Tsunade Senju in hopes of her not only becoming our next Hokage but also to show the other four villages that with the backing of two sannin we were not to be trifled with. But enough with things you already know I assembled the council to inform you that Jiraiya has failed in his mission to retrieve Tsunade."

The shocking news caused the council to erupt into conversation as everyone began trying to think of who would be the next Hokage if even Jiraiya couldn't bring back his wayward teammate.

Shikaku Nara scanned the room with his eyes before he looked directly in Danzo's eye, "There's something you're not telling us."

Danzo smirked of course nothing could fool the sharp eye of the clan head of the Nara clan.

"Indeed Shikaku is correct in his assumption. During the mission both Tsunade and Jiraiya were killed in the line of duty taking Orochimaru out with them."

If the conversations from before caused chaos the news that Danzo had just delivered caused the room to go into mayhem as people began shouting demanding answers and silently grieving at the lost of the greatest Ecchi writer the ninja world had ever seen.

"Troublesome," Shikaku commented as he laid his head on his arms and began to lightly snooze.

Danzo quieted the room down with a wave of concentrated chakra. Everyone again directed their attention to Danzo as he cleared his throat, Shizune here was the apprentice of Tsunade and was there during the battle. She can explain what happened there better than me."

Shizune flushed under the attention she was receiving before she cleared her throat and recounted what had happened during the horrible retrieval mission. Naruto chimed in from time to time when she forgot a detail or when she wasn't there to witness some things.

The council all sat in silence soaking in the story Shizune had just told them. They couldn't believe that the strongest ninja that the village had left were dead and scattered to the winds.

Danzo unrolled the scroll that he had got from Shizune and began reading it aloud, "Dear council if you are reading this then it means that Shizune and Naruto made it to Konoha safely. Firstly, I would like to began by giving a few orders that I have the power to enact as a sannin: I Jiraiya of the Sannin hereby reboot the use of Training Ground 11, I hereby request that war time measures must be used and the Academy and ranks be adjusted accordingly, I hereby announce the revival of team eighteen, I hereby name Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze as the Godaime Hokage. Secondly, I give all of my worldly possessions to Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze. Thirdly, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze is hereby the heir to all of my fortune and to my book series Icha Icha. Finally, As my last wish I encourage the council to announce Naruto as a Namikaze and to give him his heritage as a Namikaze. Fourthly, I advise the council to prepare for war. With my death the other nations will surely see this as a sign of weakness and hope to finally crush Konoha for good. Make sure that she survives the coming storm no matter the cost. Signed, Jiraiya the toad sage."

Once again with the shocking declarations and the news of Naruto's true name the council erupted into pure mayhem.

Danzo sighed as he once again brought order to the council. He surveyed the room noting the expressions that flickered across the eyes of the people in the room. Many of great sadness and shock.

Danzo beckoned Naruto forward to stand before the entire council. "Here stands the son of the great Yondaime Hokage Minato Namikaze. He also is the sole reason the Kyuubi is locked away never to terrorize are village again. He is the heir of two of Konoha's once prominent clans. He is the chosen heir of the great Jiraiya of the sannin." Danzo let his words sink in before he stood beside Naruto and looked him in the eye.

Naruto stared back determination in his eyes making Danzo see a flash of his dead sensei the Nidaime Hokage in the boy.

"You will do great young man you have the potential to shape the entire shinobi world, but are you really ready to bear the burden of being the leader of an entire village at your age?" Danzo questioned probing a response out of the boy.

Naruto thought back to his promises he had made earlier and clutched the **Hiraishin** kunai around his neck.

"I don't know if i'm Hokage potential or if i'm even strong enough to make anyone in this room break a sweat, but what I do know is that I inherited from Hokage-jiji, Pervy-sensei, and my dad the will of fire. I know for sure that they all believed in doing whatever it took to ensure that this village prospered and thrived. If you elect me to be your Hokage I will do everything in my power and endure any pain that I must to make sure that this village will not only survive the war knocking on her door, but that we will crush every opponent that dares to threaten the peace that every Hokage has worked hard to ensure" he announced to the council.

The power with which he projected his voice and the gaze in his eye that showed a wisdom far beyond his young age inspired everyone in the room.

Shikaku sat up straight and raised his hand, "As clan head of the Nara clan I vote Naruto as the successor to the title of Hokage."

They went around the room until everyone had voted. Danzo cleared his throat and tallied up the votes before he smiled down at the young boy, "By the vote of the council I hereby name you the Godaime Hokage.

The announcement was followed by a round of applause for the young Hokage as they all came up and congratulated him.

"That is not all that we must discuss though," Danzo said. "We must announce the news to the village but we also must pick the people that will advise are young Hokage."

Shikaku narrowed his eyes at this so this is why Danzo was so readily to agree with Jiraiya's decree.

"Shouldn't I be the one to pick who advises me," Naruto interrupted causing Danzo to clench his hands in anger.

"Of course as Hokage it is your choice," Danzo answered hoping his false smile would be enough for the boy to make him his adviser.

Naruto saw through Danzo's false smile immediately and shook his head in disgust. "I choose Shikaku Nara, Dragon, and Shizune." Naruto declared pointing at the Nara clan head, the leader of the ANBU, and Shizune.

With Naruto's decision the meeting was adjourned and Shizune, Dragon, And Shikaku followed him back to what was now his office.

Closing the door behind them they all assembled in the room with Naruto sitting at the desk while the rest stood in front of it at attention.

"Uh… I have no idea what to do," Naruto said letting out a chuckle and turning towards Shikaku for help.

Shikaku started. Naruto did a complete 180 from the Naruto that was displayed in the council room not five minutes ago. "Firstly, you're not even Hokage yet." He said removing Naruto's feet from the desk and shooting him a disapproving look.

"Eh.. what do you mean i'm not Hokage yet?"

"What he means is you have to be announced to the village and officially accepted in front of the entire village." Shizune said in a caring voice.

"Oh. So when does that happen?" Naruto questioned wandering around his office probing at stuff.

"I think it would be best if we did it tomorrow." Dragon added in his own two cents.

"Well tomorrow it is then. For now I still have to think over some stuff," Naruto said ushering them out of his office.

When the door closed behind them Naruto's expression turned grim and he collected his things before flickering away.

He reappeared at the coordinates that Danzo had slipped him during the meeting and knocked twice on the door. Danzo opened the door and ushered him in before he closed the door behind them.

The room Naruto found himself in was quite spacious and bare. It appeared to be a living room with a reclining chair in the corner next to a fireplace. Across the room sat a bookcase filled with scrolls.

"Would you like some tea?" Danzo offered gesturing towards a tea set that sat on a nearby table.

"No thank you. I'm here strictly on business," Naruto declined as he stared at Danzo assessing him. "What did you call me here for Danzo, what are you scheming?"

Danzo let out a laugh to think that a boy his age would be questioning him. Danzo wiped his eyes before he turned serious. "This village will not survive a war against the other nations I believe that you already understand this. What we need is to boost the morale of our shinobi and to simultaneously give the other nations a reason to fear Konoha."

"And how do we go about this oh so great plan of yours?" Naruto questioned.

"We use you of course," Danzo said.

"Excuse me if i'm not following, but until a couple of hours ago I was just a clan-less Genin." Naruto said crossing his arms and trying to think of what Danzo was playing at.

"You really do have much to learn if you wish to lead our village to greatness. You are the son of the man that single-handedly turned the tide of the third great ninja war, you hold the power of the strongest bijuu, and you boast a lineage that can be traced back to the founder of this village Hashirama Senju."

"I do not posses the power that my father had and I sure as hell can't control the power of the Kyuubi," Naruto countered.

"You don't possess that power yet, but it is easily attainable for you as long as you are determined to put your life on the line for the village."

"That would take years to accomplish. Years I might add that we don't have, we need something now."

"And who said that you couldn't achieve that power sooner rather than later?" Danzo questioned pinning Naruto with a stare.

At this Naruto was confused. There was no logical way that Danzo possessed the power to do what he was boasting. "And how would we go about doing this."

Danzo stood stretching his aching bones before he gestured for Naruto to come closer. He pulled a scroll off his bookcase and showed it to him.

Naruto read the title of the scroll; Project Sacrifice. Naruto read through the scroll not believing what his eyes were reading. He got to the end and turned his eyes on Danzo, "You guys attempted to turn my mother into a weapon!"

Naruto couldn't believe that the village he loved and now ruled over had tried to turn his own mother into some kind of attack dog for the village.

Danzo stared into the furious orbs of the sole survivor of the Uzumaki clan. "At the time we were the only village whose Jinchuuriki didn't have at least a bit of control over it's demon. We did what we thought would benefit the village in the long run. The experiment failed horribly and she almost lost her life in the process. Your father abolished the project soon after."

Naruto stared in shock as he tried to process what Danzo was saying. "And you want to try this failed project on me?"

Danzo sighed before he placed the scroll back on the bookcase, "Your mother lacked the will and mental strength needed to complete the project. I believe that you have the determination to make it through."

Naruto began pacing back and forth as he began to doubt himself he remembered once again the promise he had made. Never again would someone die on his watch because he was too weak to face his adversary he would put his life on the line to ensure that Konoha continued to grow, he owed that to all the previous Hokage's that had died so the village would not fall.

Naruto went over the possibility in his head thinking of all the risks the experiment could cause. If this worked then he would be able to gain some sort if not full control over the demon in his belly. The power he would be able to wield would be endless.

Danzo interrupted him from his thinking. "There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. Which will you be the candle that leads are village into a brighter future, or the mirror that reflects the same actions that your predecessors set before you?"

Naruto looked out the window of Danzo's house at the village that he loved so much. He turned towards Danzo, "Lets get this done tonight I have an important meeting with the council to be at in the morning."

Danzo smirked at the young Hokage before he went into his room and returned with a large seal scroll. He easily slung the scroll over his back giving the boy one one last look before him and Naruto disappeared.

"And you're positive you're willing to go through with this no matter what pain you will face ahead?" Danzo questioned as they appeared at the location.

Naruto ran his shaking hands through his hair before he gave a grim smile at the older man and nodded. He knew from here on out there was no going back, he also knew that this might be the last time he ever laid eyes on his beautiful village.

With that Danzo lead Naruto to an abandoned ANBU training facility and together they walked into the building the future uncertain and nothing guaranteed.

**A/N: Hi back** **again with more fan fiction goodness. First off I would like to thank the people that reviewed last chapter that really meant a lot to me and reading your reviews helped me decide some things for this chapter. I really don't have a set schedule for upload dates as of yet but I plan to at-least upload once a week. So yea I had a day off of school because of the snow so I threw myself into writing this chapter. I hope you guys really enjoy this chapter and like always please leave a review and tell me how you feel about the chapter. There we be like one more chapter of buildup and character development before the real action kicks off. Well this is Asura signing off until next time. Also i'll try every week to give a story that you guys or girls should check out. So for this week i'll recommend New Chance by Hektols. It's a really good read even though you will have a lot of catching up to do the plot really draws you in, and it's a really interesting read.**


	3. Chapter 3: The Hokage

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did I would be rolling in money right now.**

**Becoming a Legend**

**Chapter 3: The Hokage **

_We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are. - Max de Pree_

"What do you think it means to be Hokage?" Sarutobi Hiruzen, the God of Shinobi, asked staring down at the young blonde boy that sat in his lap looking up at him in wonder.

Naruto wrinkled his brow in thought before his eyes lit up and he beamed up at the Hokage, "Being Hokage means you're the strongest in the village and that everyone has to respect you!"

Hiruzen chuckled at Naruto's rather simplistic view on the title of Hokage. He remembered a time when he too believed that the Hokage was simply the strongest Shinobi in the village.

"Though that is true that is not the only thing that makes a Hokage young Naruto. No a Kage is only as strong as the village that he or she leads. The Kage gets its strength from the people in the village every single man and woman every single boy and girl.

Naruto was confused, if the Kage really did get their strength from the village then that must mean that the Kage really weren't strong at all if they had to rely on the help of the common people.

"The strength that the village gives their Kage is not a tangible thing it is not something that can be touched or seen. The villagers ignite in their Kage the will to protect," Hiruzen said looking Naruto in the eye.

"The will to protect," Naruto echoed still not quite understanding how the villagers could influence someone as great as a Kage.

"Yes my boy the Kage are the guardians of the village the ones who will do anything to ensure the safety of their village at all cost. But, without the villagers the Kage would lose all of their drive or will to protect the village. Without the villagers there is nothing to protect there is nothing for the Kage to strive for." Hiruzen picked Naruto up off his lap and pointed to the pictures of the Hokage that lined the walls of his office.

Naruto looked up at the picture of the Shodaime Hokage, one of the founding fathers of the village, and thought of the words that the Hokage was trying to impart on him.

The old Sarutobi pointed at the first picture,"Hashirama Senju the leading founder of **Konohagakure no Sato: **the man who was hailed as the second coming of the **Rikudou Sennin,** he who alone held the power to control every single tailed beast, the man that gave birth to the forests of **Konoha, **the first human ever to unlock the power of Sage Mode." He gestured towards the picture next to it, "Tobirama Senju the younger brother of Hashirama: the greatest **Suiton** user to ever grace the Village Hidden in the Leaves, a prodigy in his own right gifted with the strong chakra and life force of the Senju clan, the man who established the ANBU, the Konoha academy, and the Police force." He skipped over his own picture and glanced at the last picture that hung on the wall, "Minato Namikaze the orphan: the Yellow Flash of Konoha, the man who single handedly brought an end to the Third Great Ninja War, the man who brought about the destruction of the great Kyuubi, hailed as the fastest shinobi in shinobi history."

He gazed down at Naruto and let everything he said sink in to the young boys mind. He puffed on his pipe and let the boy try to figure out what he wanted him to learn with this short history lesson.

"Do you know what they all had in common?" The old man asked probing at the boy to arrive at the answer on his own.

Naruto furrowed his brow trying desperately to get the idea of the old mans lesson. Alas he slumped his shoulders in defeat and looked at the Hokage for the answer.

Hiruzen hid his slight disappointment easily and spoke, "They all gave their lives for the sake of the village. To ensure that the village survives no matter what you must endure. To kill in the name of the village, to bleed in the name of the village, to suffer in the name of the village that's what it means to be Hokage Naruto."

Naruto took in the knowledge that the Hokage gave him and looked at him determination shining brightly in his cerulean eyes, "I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that every sacrifice that the Hokages and the shinobi of this village makes is worth it. And when the time comes I will shoulder the burden of the village and sacrifice myself for the sake of Konoha."

The Sandaime was taken aback by the sheer determination displayed on the face of the tiny boy that stood in front of him. The will of flames that he had reminded him of his sensei, Tobirama Senju, whose love for his village out shined that of his older brother. Hiruzen hid a smile behind his Hokage hat.

_You will go far Naruto the village will surely prosper under your lead._

Naruto was shaken out of his memories of the now deceased Sandaime Hokage as the door to the small chamber he was in opened and spilled light from the hallway into the room.

He lifted his head as much as his exhausted body could and gazed at the man who was responsible for his horrible state.

"I don't think its working," Naruto croaked his mouth dry and his lips cracked.

Danzo smiled crookedly as he gazed at the blonde who was cuffed to a chair, "Just a little longer surely then the Kyuubi will be forced to react and intervene."

"We don't have that much time left Danzo and I can feel my body getting weaker by the second," Naruto clenched his eyes shut as another bout of pain rocked through his body.

"Perhaps we should go ahead with "that"," Danzo suggested gesturing towards his covered eye.

Naruto sighed as his body sagged forward in defeat. When they had first arrived here the first thing they had tried was to get Naruto to connect to the Kyuubi by putting him in a near death experience. That had ultimately failed and Naruto had quickly recovered from his wounds that Danzo had inflicted.

Next they had tried meditation in an attempt for Naruto to reach the Kyuubi and try to communicate with it. That too had failed when Naruto had lacked the patience to sit still and began fidgeting.

Their latest plan was to get Naruto to use all of his Chakra in hopes of it allowing Naruto to access the Kyuubi's. That too didn't work and now Naruto sat utterly exhausted and questioning his reasoning for doing this to himself.

Naruto stared hard at Danzo, "What are my chances of survival?"

"Normally forty six percent but with your horrible state it is more along the lines of twenty." Danzo announced after doing some calculations in his head.

Naruto sighed and tried to think of any other way to gain access to the power that lay dormant inside of him. "There truly is no other way around this is there?" Naruto asked.

Danzo pitied the boy he had a strong will to be able to survive what he had went through so far and to still have hopes. "Kid this is the only way we will be able to have the power to stop the threat of the other major villages. You are the only person that can stop the mass destruction of Konoha and her inhabitants from ever happening. I know you may think me and my ways shrewd but if there is one thing that you know it is that everything I do and have done is always in the name of the village."

"Lets do it then."

Danzo led Naruto into another room this one better lit and more spacious than the cramped torture room they had just left. The room was all white and had only one door that was made of steel.

Naruto stood in the middle of the room facing a large window that showed him a view of the hall outside of the window. Danzo sat in a chair behind the glass window that was reinforced with chakra and **fūinjutsu**.

"Are you ready?" came the scratchy voice of Danzo over the speaker located in the corner of the room.

Naruto gave a nod in the direction of Danzo and sat on the floor cross legged and calmed his breathing as Danzo had instructed of him.

Danzo unraveled the bandages around his eye and blinked as his **Sharingan **eye was revealed to the world. As Danzo pumped chakra to his eye the tomoe spun and shifted into a pinwheel pattern. Danzo's eye made contact with Naruto's blue orbs and Danzo focused his chakra until it was concentrated into his **Mangekyō Sharingan **before he released it one big burst and Naruto's world shattered around him.

"_Tsukuyomi."_

Naruto summoned up all of the courage he could muster as the world around him shifted and the sky turned red. He looked down to find that his feet were bound to a cross much like his hands.

Danzo appeared in front of him clutching his bleeding Sharingan eye and looking disoriented. Naruto studied the world he found himself in now and noted that the moon hung in the middle of the sky and it as well as everything else was tinged in a blood red color.

"We must hurry this is the first time I've attempted this jutsu and i'm running low on chakra," Danzo said standing up and wiping the blood off his face.

Naruto stopped his inspection of his surroundings and stared at Danzo, "Now what?"

"Previous studies have shown that the Kyuubi is a beast of pure malice and hate. It feeds off of the negative emotions of its host: Anger, grief, envy, sadness, jealousy. I'm going to make you experience all of that in hopes of you being able to tap into the beast's power." Danzo replied as he made sure the bindings were tight.

"And if I do somehow manage to tap into its power what is the next step to achieving full control?" Naruto asked.

Danzo sighed running his hands through his hair, "That is what we haven't been able to figure out yet. Never in the past were we able to establish a connection to the Kyuubi. It's all up to you kid. Good Luck."

With that Danzo disappeared from Naruto's line of sight and the torture began.

First he showed him flashbacks of his childhood: the time he got kicked out of the orphanage for breaking curfew too many times, when he failed the exam at the academy for the first time, the first time he had tried to buy clothes and food without the Hokage's help. All were dark memories that he had tried hard since graduating the academy to forget.

He didn't want to remember the cold stares he got on his way to the academy every morning or the loneliness he felt when at the end of the day he would return to the same empty apartment and cry himself to sleep.

Naruto found out that no matter how hard he tried he couldn't close his eyes or look away from the scenes that were playing in front him dredging up the memories of his darkest days where he contemplated ending it all.

It didn't stop there it seemed that Danzo had sensed the Kyuubi's lack of response to Naruto's rather turbulent mindset and decided to kick it up a notch. Two people appeared in front of Naruto, a man and a woman, they knelt at his feet blindfolded as Danzo stood above them a kunai in his hand. Danzo looked at him before he spoke, "Choose."

Naruto shook his head understanding Danzo's motive. He wouldn't allow two people to die because of him never he would rather put his own life on the line. Choose Danzo's voice echoed again in his mind this time much louder and harsher. Danzo got fed up with his indecisiveness and turned towards the kneeling man before he slit his throat and his body slumped to the floor. The cries of the woman were not censored by the gag in her mouth and every sob tore at Naruto's heart.

"Stop please stop Danzo I can't take anymore please stop." Naruto begged tears pouring out of his eyes.

Danzo shook his head and slit the woman's throat before he disappeared once again. Naruto openly sobbed at the woman's death and tried desperately to forget the sound she made as she choked on her own blood and died.

_Worthless _

_Weak_

_Dobe_

_Orphan_

_Weak_

_Weak_

_Weak_

_Weak_

_WEAK_

Naruto curled in on himself as the words thudded around in his skull pounding his brain over and over again and again until he snapped.

He screamed breaking his restraints and and making the world around him waver fading back into reality before it became solid again. He roared his demonic chakra spilling out of him to form a bubbling cloak around his body. He fell to all fours and sat on his haunches as the genjutsu dispelled.

Danzo was knocked back and the glass cracked as Naruto forcibly removed himself from the genjutsu. Danzo stared in fear and shock as Naruto turned towards him, his once cerulean blue eyes now red and slitted like a fox.

Naruto stared at Danzo his senses increased, his anger spiking, and was that a tail wagging behind him? He was only partly in control of his body and the rest of his body was being controlled by the great Kyuubi himself. Naruto tried hard to calm his anger in hopes of wrestling control into his hands, but every time he felt like he gained an inch of control the image of the woman's desperate face would pop in his mind and he would succumb to the anguish and anger that burdened him.

The Kyuubi chuckled darkly in the back of his mind as he slowly began to control more and more of Naruto's body. It wouldn't be long now until the Kyuubi would wrest full control over his container and raze Konoha to the ground for imprisoning him.

Naruto succumbed to his own desire to see the people that had wronged him dead at his feet and he slowly began drifting away slipping more and more control to the Kyuubi.

The gate that Naruto now stood in front of was huge, it made the main entrance gate of Konoha look puny in comparison. Naruto whistled at the sheer size of it, its golden bars seemed to stretch on forever in both directions.

Naruto grew serious as he peered inside the cage at the huge beast that lounged with one blood red slit eye cracked open to look at his host with distaste.

The great beast lowered its head until it was able to make eye contact with its jailer. The Kyuubi let out a breath sending Naruto tumbling end over end before he landed, quite roughly, on his back a ways away from the cage.

"**Heh weakling," the great beast rumbled shooting another hateful look at its jailer. "So you finally come to see me aye kid, and let me guess you didn't come to tell me that i'm getting out early did you?"**

Naruto stared back at the Kyuubi trying his hardest to not flinch in the face of the monster that had destroyed the lives of many people, "You would be wrong in assuming that i'm here to let you out, however I believe we can reach a compromise."

"**Oh really now?'' the Kyuubi asked shifting his paws around giving his jailer with a death stare. "Not interested."**

"You haven't even heard what I was going to say yet." Naruto said already frustrated with the giant fur ball,

"**Look kid you can't offer me anything that I want." Kyuubi huffed.**

Naruto looked around the dim lit sewer he was in and made a show of seeing how deep the water was that went above his ankles, "How about your freedom."

**The Kyuubi snorted and flicked one of its giant tails, "Thats rich kid as if you have the key to unlock this cage."**

Red chakra bubbled in between the gaps in the gate and seeped onto the side where Naruto was.

"**As you can see in the outside world i'm gaining control over your body, even if you did have the key to get me out of here what's stopping me from taking your body right now?"**

"That would be me." Called a cool voice as a yellow flash revealed the man that Naruto looked up to the most. The man that he wanted to surpass and make proud.

"Tou-san," Naruto called not believing his eyes. The man that stood in front of him had the same spiky blonde hair as him. He wore his headband around his head proudly showing the Konoha symbol. He wore the standard Jonin flask jacket underneath a haroi. If the flames that licked the bottom of his haori weren't a give away then the kanji for Fourth Hokage surely identified this man as Konoha's Minato Namikaze.

The man turned with a bright grin staring at the son that he hadn't seen in twelve years.

"Dad?" Naruto whispered again as the man strode forward engulfing his son in his arms and hugging him tight to his chest.

"Yes, it's me son."

**A/N: This Chapter was inspired by Tokyo Ghoul I freaking love that anime. So yeah I could have done a lot better with this chapter I just didn't wanna fill it up with too much of unneeded information. Anyways THANK YOU again to everyone that reviewed last chapter your reviews bring smiles to my face when I read them. Short question real quick, do you guys want me to use the Japanese version of jutsu or English? And if I do use Japanese, which i'm fine with, would you want me to put the translations at the bottom or directly by the actual jutsu? Right, now that that is out of the way on to other things, so I know everyone is going to be like WTF Danzo doesn't know how to do Tsukuyomi you idiot. Yes I am aware of that but it had to be done for the sake of the story trust me Danzo won't be using that again anytime soon. For this week instead of recommending a Fan fiction i'll recommend Tokyo Ghoul a really good anime. So yep go watch that, review this chapter, say no to drugs, and stay in school. Until next time this is Asura signing off BYE!**


	4. Chapter 4: Inner Demons

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did I would be rolling in money right now.**

**Becoming a Legend**

**Chapter 4: Inner Demons**

_If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. - John Quincy Adams_

Growing up an orphan like most kids that occupied the orphanage they called home Naruto thought about his parents; who they were, what they did, did they love him, were they still alive? Naruto imagined that his mom was a kick ass kunoichi who was a master of espionage and stealth. Daughter of a wealthy clan head and soon to be clan head his mom was the epitome of a ninja.

His dad was the son of the clan head that held a grudge with his mother's clan. He too was powerful and smart. His dad would be a renowned shinobi known across the entire elemental nations for his skill on the battlefield.

He imagined that he got his blonde hair and whisker marks from his dad and his striking blue eyes and personality from his mother. His parents clans were at war with each other and their relationship was forbidden.

And that was why they had to abandon him in an orphanage because he was the secret child of two clan heads that were from rivaling clans.

As Naruto grew older he matured and he stopped imagining that his parents were superheroes. He stopped making excuses for them abandoning him, he began to believe that his parents truly didn't love him and that they wanted nothing to do with him.

After Jiraiya's death, the man he had come to look up to as a father, Naruto fell into a spiral of despair at losing one of his precious people to his own weakness. After finding out the identity of his father Naruto was at first overjoyed.

He was the son of the Fourth Hokage the man that even now years after his death people talked about with awe.

It wasn't as glorious as he had made it up to be his dad wasn't the son of some rich noble or clan head and he wasn't a rouge ninja on the run from Hunter-nin.

The hype wore down as he connected the dots of that eventful night twelve years ago. His own father had stuffed the Kyuubi no Yoko in his belly and had sentenced him to a life of ridicule and torment.

The man hugging him now displaying the utmost love for the boy in his arms dispelled every doubt Naruto ever had about the love or lack of love his parents had for him.

Naruto sobbed into the older blondes arms holding tight to his midsection least he disappear in a puff of smoke like he always did in his dreams.

Minato stared down at the young man his son had turned out to be and smiled brightly as he noticed the Konoha forehead protector that was tied tightly around his forehead the insignia of the Hidden Leaf glinting proudly.

Minato's face turned serious as he remembered just what had brought about this situation. He turned towards the cage that housed the great Kyuubi no Yoko and sneered. "Oi are you comfortable in your wittle cage," Minato said openly mocking the Kyuubi right to its face.

The Kyuubi was not fazed by Minato's blatant disrespect of his power and simply gestured with his tail towards the red bubbling chakra that now leaked fast out of his cage. "**Heh stupid human not long now until I will have complete control over this boy's body and then I will destroy the village that you two love soooo much."**

Naruto clenched his hands tightly as the Kyuubi proclaimed that he would destroy the village that he called home. "Over my dead body you stupid ball of fur. If you really think I'll let you obliterate the village that I lead then you must not have been paying too much attention." Naruto pointed a thumb at himself and announced, "The names Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze Godaime of Konohagakure no Sato,Warden of the Kyuubi no Yoko, Record holder of the most ramen eaten in ten minutes, And the first jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi that will gain full control of your powers.

The Kyuubi grit its teeth at Naruto's proclamation and sneered at the young boy. "**And how will you do that if you can't even control this little bit of my chakra that you have managed to awaken. You can't even control the hate that is in your body you've yet to accept the darker side of you, the side of you that would rather see Konoha burned to the ground.**"

Minato stared at the Kyuubi and then looked back at his son. "There is a reason I entrusted the Kyuubi to you Naruto. I knew that you would be the one to harness his power and lead the Elemental nations to peace. Jiraiya-sensei always talked about a child of prophecy who would bring either peace or destruction to the world. You my son have the potential to do both." Minato said still staring at his son intently.

The Kyuubi laughed ominously, "**He is obviously destined to bring about the destruction of the shinobi world. With my power he will destroy everything that stands in his path be it friend or foe**."

"You're both wrong" Naruto whispered his bangs hiding his eyes from view. "I don't have the power or the potential to do anything I couldn't even save Ero-sennin when he needed me the most!"

Minato's eyes widened there was no way Jiraiya-sensei could be dead he was one of the strongest ninja that the leaf had ever produced.

Minato saw the sadness in his son eyes and squatted down to look his son square in the eyes, "It is not your fault Naruto. Jiraiya-sensei most have had a reason for dying to ensure that you got away. If there is one thing about the old perv it's that he always looked out for his comrades. Don't you get it he died so that you could become stronger and make sure that something like that never has to happen ever again, you will be the bridge that brings about the peace of all the elemental nations and Jiraiya-sensei believed in you. Honor his memory by becoming strong and leading this village to greatness."

The Kyuubi snorted at the touchy moment playing out before his eyes and rolled his massive eyes, "**Look kid you were too weak and you still are it is the fate of weaklings like you to always be crushed under foot. There is nothing you can do to change that, the only thing you can do is stand aside and let the strong rule in place of the weak who can't fend for themselves." **

"You're wrong," Naruto shouted again his back turned to the Kyuubi's cage. "I don't need your corrupted power to change this world, and the weak have something that the strong will never have."

"**And what would that be?" The Kyuubi questioned.**

"Its simple if you really think about it," Naruto said walking further and further away from the cage.

Naruto looked back at the cage, red bubbling chakra pooling out of it, and grinned at the sight of the Kyuubi, "They have the will to never give up and to keep striving for their dreams no matter what. That is what it means to be weak to understand your limits but to want to reach them and then crush them into oblivion."

The Kyuubi roared in defiance as Minato's fingertips lit up with blue chakra.

"**Don't you dare come near me with that chakra."** **The Kyuubi screamed trying to back away from the fingertips of Minato. **

Minato's fingers met with the seal holding the Kyuubi at bay and a flash of white filled the sewer that reflected Naruto's mindscape.

As the light died down the pooling red chakra of the Kyuubi was sucked back into the cage and the weathered bars began to repair themselves.

The Kyuubi glared darkly from inside his prison at the boy who dared to not accept his power before he smirked, "**There will come a time boy when you will beg for my chakra, and when that time comes I will control your body and destroy everything that you hold dear to you."**

Minato turned towards his son as his image began to flicker out, "Heh I guess this all I have left in me then."

Naruto stared back at his dad refusing to let the tears pooling around his eyes fall.

"Be brave my son there are many in this cursed world who would see you dead. Become strong and protect the village, and most importantly remember that me and your mother will always love and be proud of you." Minato said as he smiled down at his son one last time his Haroi flapping behind him.

And with those last words Minato Namikaze the Fourth Hokage of Konohagakure no sato disappeared in a flash of white blinding light.

As the light faded once again Naruto finally his tears fall unbidden, he curled into a ball and sobbed as his surroundings were once again changed.

**Hokages Mansion Day of Naruto's Inauguration**

"Where the hell is our wayward Hokage," Shikaku Nara grumbled as he searched every nook and cranny of the large estate that was meant to house the Hokage. The problem was said Hokage was missing in action.

It had been only a week ago that Naruto had been declared the Hokage in front of the entire Konoha council. Oddly enough no one had heard from the youngest Hokage since that day and the office had been vacant since the day that they had all decided the day to announce Naruto to the village not only as the heir to the Namikaze but also as the Fifth Hokage.

Shikaku sighed as he checked the same room once again for the third time that day and turned to the only other person occupying the room.

"Do you know where he could have possibly gone on one of the most important days of his life?" Questioned the Nara as he turned to the brunette who had appeared with the blonde a little over a week ago.

The brunette shrugged in reply and tilted her head in thought. "Maybe he had some random last minute errand to run."

"A errand that takes him a week. I don't think so there's something fishy going on behind the scenes and i'm going to get to the bottom of it." The Nara clan head announced as he walked out of the room and back towards the administration building.

Once at the administration building Shikaku walked towards the Hokage office and opened the door hoping that the blonde Hokage would be sitting behind his desk with that stupid grin on his face.

That was not to be and when Shikaku opened the door he was met with the sound of a croaking toad? Shikaku stepped closer to get a better look at the toad and upon closer inspection noticed that the toad wore a Konoha forehead protector around its neck.

"Ribbit." The toad croaked as it hopped of the desk and on to the top of Shikaku's head.

Shikaku looked up at the toad that had decided to plop itself on top of his head and let out a shiver. He grabbed the toad and placed it back on the Hokage's desk with a plop.

Tied to the foot of the toad was a scroll that had the seal of the Hokage stamped on it. Shikaku grabbed it and read the words that were hastily scribbled by what appeared to be a five year old:

_Dear Shikaku,or whoever happens to stumble into my office,if you're reading this then it means that its the big day and I still haven't made it back yet. Don't fear though my absence is necessary and I should be back before it is time. If I should run late then I urge the council to make up some excuse and save my ass. Signed Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze 5th Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato. _

Shikaku sighed again, he had been doing that a lot lately, the mysterious letter by Naruto had not given him any whereabouts of the young man and had only made him even more confused. Shikaku was never a man to fret or worry that much, but as the sun rose over the heads of the former Hokage's a frown marred his face. Just what was Naruto doing that it would have to take him a week to complete?

He looked out at the village that he had pledged to protect at all cost and tried to see if he could sense the chakra of the blonde Hokage.

"Don't do anything stupid Naruto, you're not even Hokage yet and you're already causing problems. Tch troublesome blond."

Danzo stared at the crouched form of Naruto as a red chakra shroud began to form around him and two tails sprouted out of the boys backside. He took a hesitant step back as the beast looked at him scarlet red eyes peering into his soul and judging him.

The killing intent that the kyuubified Naruto let out was making it very hard for Danzo to breath and he soon collapsed to his knees under the constant pressure.

As quickly as the red chakra had come it disappeared and the form of Naruto was once again red chakra lingered in the air for a second more before it too dissipated and the overbearing killer intent that came with the chakra vanished.

Naruto rose from his crouched position and stared down at his hands or more importantly his nails, they had became longer and sharper becoming weapons of destruction. He ran his tongue over his teeth and wasn't surprised to find that his teeth had also elongated and were slightly poking out of mouth. All and all Naruto thought that his new transformation was going to make him look like a total bad ass.

With the threat of the Kyuubi breaking out and wreaking havoc on Konoha Danzo stepped into the room and stopped Naruto mid inspection of his new look.

"I assume that you managed to successfully gain control of the Kyuubi's power?" Danzo questioned raising an eyebrow at the young Uzumaki.

Naruto looked up at Danzo his eyes shimmering with new found knowledge and wisdom, "Tch I don't need the Kyuubi's stupid power to become strong I'll do it on my own and become a great ninja. None of the other Hokages had a demon stuck in their gut and they all turned out awesome."

Danzo sweat dropped and sighed. "I hate to burst your bubble and bring up our current situation but all of those previous Hokages had years of training and experience behind them, also they weren't in your position of leading a demoralized village to war when you yourself can barely control your own justus.

Naruto sagged a bit at Danzo's blunt interpretation of his skills. True or not they still hurt the blondes feelings and he quickly began to think of ways to overcome their villages handicap.

"It's simple really if you think about it all we need to do is do a show of strength that will cause all the other villages to falter in their haste to end Konoha." Naruto said thinking about the talk he had with his father right before he disappeared.

Danzo pondered the words of the boy and began to do calculations of all the ninja they currently had in the village, ones that were on missions, and adding in the casualties they had suffered at the hands of the failed Oto-Suna invasion. "It would have to be a pretty big bluff to fool the other villages into thinking that we are still a threat even without Jiraiya, Tsunade, and almost one third of our force gone."

"Well lets think about the conditions of the other villages; Suna definitely isn't a threat and we will have their assistance in any upcoming battle, Ame hasn't been heard of since the Third Shinobi War, Kumo has and will always be a powerhouse that we will have to worry about, Kiri is still recovering from its own civil war and won't be fully functionally for at least a couple more years, Iwa is one to watch out for because of their deep hate for my father." Naruto began to think out loud trying to figure out the odds of the other villages mounting an attack.

Danzo stared at Naruto impressed with his rather vast knowledge of the other villages and he questioned him on it, "How do you know so much about the status of the other villages? Your academy record states that you were quite stupid to be blunt in anything knowledge based."

Naruto glowered at the remark of his past academic status as the dobe of the academy and openly seethed, "Jiraiya began to lecture me in the points of being a ninja that didn't require you to kill your enemy before he killed you. He was grooming me to take over his spy network once he died."

Danzo was surprised at that for Jiraiya to be grooming a boy this young to have such a high position as Spymaster was quite the honor. Jiraiya must have held the boy in a high regard in order to trust him with such an important task such as village security.

"I know just the thing that will make all of the other villages think twice about launching a full fledged attack on us." Naruto said after finally coming to a conclusion for their dilemma.

Naruto began to pace back and forth as he thought out the finer details of his plan to get their allies to want to rally behind them after taking such a blow politically and economically and to send their would be aggressors a message at the same time.

"Announcing me as the heir of the Namikaze and Uzumaki clan will give many of the other villages much pause. My lineage ties me to every single Hokage that has every lead Konoha that gives me much politically sway, not only that but the other villages will respect me as a Namikaze and fear what I will become." Naruto began.

Danzo thought over the blondes plan and began to see some glaring faults in the quickly brought up plan, "That will only cause the other villages to send assassins to the village in hopes of getting rid of the Namikaze and Uzumaki lines once and for all."

Naruto pondered the older man's words and began to pace once again frustrated with the entire situation already.

Naruto thought about things that could possibly show the other villages that Konoha wasn't weak and that they still belonged at the top of the food chain with the rest of the Great villages. "What we need is a group of highly trained ninja to take on a high quantity of missions with a high success rate. The downfall of this is that it would take years for us to train up ninja of that caliber. Which puts us right back at square one once again". Naruto sighed running his hands through his hair and fingering the three pronged kunai that Jiraiya had given him.

His eyes widened comically and he almost slapped himself with his newest revelation that would definitely put the other villages plans of destroying Konoha on halt.

Danzo saw the gleam and Naruto eyes and wondered briefly what could have the blonde all hyped up after they had just shot down yet another plan.

"All we need to do is bluff our numbers and we can tell the other villages that we have the Second coming of the Sannin in our midst already trained up and ready to take on the world. As an added bonus we can bluff my mastery of the Hiraishin that will definitely put fear in the hearts of the other villages." Naruto put forth his idea brimming with enthusiasm.

Danzo pondered the young Hokage's idea and though there were many faults with it it wasn't that bad and it was really there only choice to bluff and hope that they would fall for it.

He tapped his cane in thought and silently flared his chakra. In a flash two ninja appeared next to him bowing on one knee. "Tiger, Mantis I have an important mission for the two of you," He said speaking quickly to the two shinobi in front of him.

As Danzo talked to the stoic ninjas with weird face mask Naruto panicked remembering that he was suppose to be announced as Hokage.

"Quick someone tell me what today is and the time," Naruto ordered stopping the conversation between the three.

After a nod from Danzo the ninja on Naruto's right removed his mask and revealed his face to him. "It's exactly two hours before you are supposed to be officially announced as Hokage in front of the entire village."

"Ah shit how fucked are we," Naruto complained looking down at his state of dress or rather lack of dress. It seemed that the Kyuubi's malevolent chakra had managed to shred the majority of Naruto's clothes leaving him in his boxers and a black shirt with a Uzumaki spiral in the middle.

Danzo sighed and rethought his decision of letting this youngster become Hokage in place of him. "Tiger take him to go get outfitted in some decent Shinobi gear and formal gowns." "And you, he said pointing at the other operative, go carry out that mission I told you about."

"Yes sir," The two member of Root chorused before Naruto and the other two masked men blinked away in a body flicker.

After the two left Danzo turned around and faced his audience of Root members. He surveyed the room of children of varying ages some as young as eight others in their mid twenties. "Our village is in danger and others threaten to spill the blood of the mighty tree. What do we do to our enemies who dare to cross paths with us?" Danzo questioned.

"We kill them all. No mercy. No forgiveness. No sympathy. We are the blade in the darkness that will kill the villages enemies before they can reach the light. We are the protectors of the Hidden Leaf Village. We are not allowed to die until every enemy is slain. We are the shadows that protect the great oak. We are voiceless and faceless. We are root, protectors of the Village Hidden in the Leaves."

Danzo nodded at the shinobi under his command proud of their dedication to the village. He would not fail in making sure that Konoha would prevail over all enemies no matter the cost this he swore on his nindo.

A mass of shinobi and villagers massed in the middle of the village looking upwards at the Hokage tower. Shinobi and villager alike and all came to the same conclusion of this grand announcement that required everyone in the village to be present.

The only time something like this ever happened is when a new Hokage was being announced or when there was great news that affected the entire village. Many came to the conclusion that it was the former because of the recent death of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. A man that had served his village many years past his prime and had given many something to strive for.

Among the crowd were the Konoha twelve minus Naruto and their respective Jonin senseis minus Kakashi who was still in the hospital after his run in with Kisame and Itachi.

"I wonder where the dobe Naruto is. Surely he would want to see the new Hokage." Kiba said crossing his arms and staring up ahead like everyone else.

Shikamaru covered his ears at his friends rather obnoxious voice and voiced his own opinion,"Naruto had a very deep connection with the Third Hokage. Many would say that Naruto was the surrogate grandson of the third Hokage."

"It is only logical for Naruto to not want to be here and see the person that will replace the man that he respected the most." Shino the heir of the Aburame spoke up hiding behind his glasses and long overcoat.

The rest of them thought about the words that arguably the two smartest people of the Konhoa twelve had uttered and pondered on their own opinions of what had happened to Naruto.

"Come to think of it I haven't seen the blonde since the Chunnin Exams." Ino said placing her hands on her hips and turning towards her pink haired friend.

"Eh why are you looking at me like that?" Sakura questioned as Ino stared her down her hands crossed under her developing breast.

"Well he is your teammate isn't he? Shouldn't you know where he is?" Ino asked.

Sakura stared down at her shoes suddenly guilty. To tell the truth she hadn't thought much of her blonde teammate and his whereabouts since Sasuke had come back to the village injured after a run in with his older brother turned rouge, Itachi Uchiha.

Ino hmphed at the pinkettes lack of response and turned to the other member of team seven, "Well Sasuke do you at least know where the blonde went?" She questioned once again.

Sasuke grunted and looked back ahead at the tower. He didn't care much about who become Hokage and he cared even less about the whereabouts of the annoying Naruto.

"Showing so much concern for a boy that isn't even your teammate. Sounds like Ino has a little crush on our blonde friend." Neji mocked from his place beside his team.

Neji's remark was successful in irritating Ino and she sent a fist crashing into his face. Ino blushed bright red at Neji's proclamation. She did not like that blonde goofball in any way shape or form and that was final.

Hinata eeped at the violence going on around her and hid her face in the collar of her jacket. She hoped that Naruto was safe wherever he was. If something had happened to the blonde that gave her so much joy she wouldn't know what to do with herself.

"Quiet the ceremony is about to begin," Asuma said quickly hushing the genin and getting them to focus their attention once again to the Hokage tower.

Sure enough as the genin that made up the majority of the villages most respected clans looked up at the Hokage tower the council members stepped onto the roof and began their speech.

"Good afternoon villagers and Shinobi of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Today we have some very big announcements to make." Koharu began. She peered out at the people that were massed around the building.

"I will begin with the bad news, almost a week ago Jiraiya of the sannin was sent on a mission with Naruto Uzumaki to retrieve Tsunade the slug sannin in hopes of her becoming Hokage. there were complications and the results were the deaths of Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru!" Koharu let the news of Jiraiya's demise sink in.

Almost immediately the crowd erupted in chaos as people began to openly weep and mourn the loss of one of Konoha's greatest ninja.

Koharu raised her hand for silence and continued onward, "In light of this shocking turn of events there is a good side of this tale. With his dying wish Jiraiya entrusted the village and its safety and to one person that he believed would lead us on the path of prosperity. The council has already agreed to Jiraiya's request and we are here today to announce the Fifth Hokage of Konoha."

She let the crowd settle down some as she allowed Homura to step forward and speak.

"It is with great humbleness and honor that I stand before you on this day to announce our villages Fifth Hokage, one who I believe can lead us on the path to greatness. You all know him as the dobe of his class, the blonde troublemaker, and to most as the jailer of the Kyuubi no Yoko. However today I announce him as something more I give him the titles he so rightfully deserves and I humbly beg his forgiveness for my past hypocrisy." Homura gestured for Danzo to signal for Naruto.

The crowd was shocked many had already connected the dots and their eyes were wide open with surprise and shock.

"I give to you people of the leaf, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze; The Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure No Sato, The jailer of the Kyuubi No Yoko, The son of the Fourth Hokage and the Kushina Uzumaki, and the man that will lead our village to greatness." Homura thrust his hand forward towards the crowd.

The crowd was confused and shocked at the same time. The revelations of Naruto's heritage and his status as the keeper of the Kyuubi proved to be too much for some people and they fainted on the spot, notably Hinata Hyuuga.

Naruto still had not appeared and Homura began to sweat drop as he peered back at Danzo who was yelling at one of his root ninja.

Apparently someone had gotten the signal wrong and Naruto had still yet to appear in front of his village.

In a flash Naruto appeared in the middle of the crowd his back turned to the audience.

Most in the crowd gaped as they noticed the telltale sign of the yellow flash that signified the Hirishin.

Naruto stood and turned at the same time smiling at the gaping faces of his subjects, he twirled the infamous Hirishin kunai around his finger before he pocketed in his new standard shinobi pants.

Naruto's headband flashed as the sun bounced of it bathing him in light and making his haori that was modeled after his fathers flap in the wind.

"_I must look like a total bad ass right now."_ Naruto thought to himself as he waited for the crowd to react to his rather sudden and startling appearance.

Naruto sighed and muttered something about people not respecting the power and importance of making a great entrance.

Naruto let his chakra pool out of him and he began to steadily release his chakra into the air around him until it became visible to the naked eye and it began to crack the ground underneath his feet.

Everyone stared in awe at the display of power that Naruto was showing and many began to doubt their opinion of the blonde haired boy.

Once he had the full attention of the crowd he stopped the flow of his chakra and flashed on top of the building with the rest of the council.

"I am here today to tell you that Konoha's days of being scared of the threat of the other major villages are over. We will not cower behind our walls and hope for the best. We will not wait on them to provoke an attack on our homeland. I stand before you today to send the other villages a message; The son of the Fourth Hokage is alive and he has the tools to destroy their villages if they provoke war with us. Konoha is done with being just a equal with the other nations we will show our dominance so that no one is ever foolish enough to attack my village again. Now whose with me?" He roared sparking emotions in the surrounding crowd as they all pumped their fist in the air.

"Long Live Konoha"

"Long Live Konoha"

"Long Live Konoha"

Naruto smirked at his villages enthusiasm and joined them in their cheer for the longevity of their beloved village.

Naruto placed his Hokage hat over his eyes and kicked his feet up on his desk for an afternoon snooze. It had only been a day since Naruto had become Hokage and already work had began on putting his face on the Hokage mountain.

"Oi Naruto wake your lazy ass up you have paperwork to do." Shizune barked at the young Hokage.

Naruto fell out of his chair in his hurry to try to save face. He got up and stared at the pile that Shizune dumped on his desk.

"Is that anyway to talk to your superior commander?" Naruto questioned trying to push his authority over her.

"Oh, excuse me. Wake your lazy ass up Hokage-sama." She mocked as she bowed low and giggled at her joke.

"Haha laugh it up if you want to in the end I still get this cool reclining chair… with wheels I may add." Naruto replied demonstrating the perks of being Hokage by spinning in his chair.

"I seriously don't know what they were thinking giving you that hate," Shizune mumbled as she exited Naruto's office in search of more paperwork for her esteemed leader to fill out.

Soon after a knock came at the door and Naruto hollered for the person to enter.

Sasuke didn't have much experience with being in the Hokage's office since he never really had a need to, but now that he had been called into the office by the Hokage himself he had no choice but obey the wishes of his commanding chief.

Naruto grinned as Sasuke openly admired his office stopping to rub his hands over the glossy finish of his wooden desk.

"Liking my office I see." Naruto said as he motioned for Sasuke to sit in front of him.

"Heh. Yea whatever dobe even you are Hokage you still are the same dobe just as always." Sasuke mocked hoping to get a rise out of the blonde boy.

Naruto turned serious and he went through a few hand signs before the room was filled with light before returning to normal.

Sasuke turned in his chair looking all around before he stared back at Naruto, "What was that?"

"A grade five seal designed to keep conversations in and meddling spies and nosy people out." Naruto replied as he walked around Sasuke and got a folder off a shelf in the corner.

Naruto threw the folder in front of Sasuke the pictures and words spilling out of the folder.

"This is.." Sasuke said looking down at the multiple pages of documents and pictures.

"Yes, Naruto said a grim look on his face, this is about how the council ordered the murder of everyone in the Uchiha clan by Itachi's hands."

**A/N: I'm sorry for the wait I'm sorry for the wait. (If you get the reference you get a cookie. enjoy). Back once again with another epic chapter filled with what I hope is at least half decent writing. As always please leave a review at the bottom it only takes like two minutes and it means so much. Yea I really don't have an excuse for being late so im just going to have to take the hate this time boys and girls. Until next time this is Asura signing off. Bye!**

**Recommendation: Rain of Shadows by Elors 275. I just got into it but so far its proving to be a good read.**


	5. Chapter 5: A change of Heart

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did I would be rolling in money right now.**

**Becoming a Legend**

**Chapter 5: A Change Of Heart**

_There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot. - Plato_

Sasuke pushed himself down once more straining his arms and making sure that his form was perfect. His arms buckled and gave out making him crash into the training mat below him in the isolated training facility of the once renowned Uchiha clan.

His breathing came in short gasps as he got up kicking straight out at the dummy stationed in the center of the room.

His kick missed wide as sweat pooled into his eyes and made his vision blurry. Sasuke gave a roar of frustration and charged blindly at the dummy trying his hardest to land a flurry of attacks on the stationary target.

As every attack continued to miss its intended target the anger that Sasuke was feeling began to boil over. It didn't help that the dummy seemed to be staring at him as if to mock his pathetic attempt at a uniform kata.

He stepped back from the dummy his anger at a boiling point and slid his hands through the seals for his clans favorite technique. The technique that was a rite of passage for all of those who wished to don the pinwheel insinga of their clan and ascended into adulthood.

"**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" **(Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique). Sasuke kneaded the chakra inside of his body before igniting it and sending it roaring out of his body, screeching across the wooden floors that flared up with seals as the fiery hot ball raced above it.

Fire met dummy and with a satisfying smirk Sasuke chuckled a dark laugh as the dummy was completely obliterated leaving a tiny scorch mark on the floor that managed to override the seals that protected the building.

Sasuke clutched at his shoulder as it flared up in pain where the cursed mark that Orochimaru had imparted him was. His sharingan instantly activated as the foul purplish chakra that leaked out of the seal began to surround his body.

Black markings began to creep up and down his body making him feel stronger. His dark chuckle turned into full out laughter as the corrupt chakra filled every part of his body.

This was the power he needed the power he wanted so desperately bad. This was the fabled power that even the gods couldn't control he truly felt unstoppable.

This power was surely enough to kill anyone including Itachi. This was the power that would allow him to finally make his dreams become reality. The power that was running through his chakra system surely would be enough to even kill Itachi right? As the subject of Itachi popped up in Sasuke's mind he thought back to the reason that his anger was out of control and he almost lost grip of the little control he had over this "borrowed" power.

Images of his life before the great massacre of the Uchiha clan, as it was later referred to as, flicked through his minds and made his confusion and anger pique even more. What was he to do now? What was his purpose in life now that everything he knew was a lie?

Sasuke bent down placing his hands over his ears as the screams of his family members being slain resounded in his ears over and over again. Tears rolled down his face and he openly cried for the first time since the day that everything in his life went to hell.

***Flashback No Jutsu Start (Generic as hell I know)***

Sasuke's large grin matched his rather confident attitude as he raced down the streets of Konoha proudly sporting the red and white pinwheel of his clan on his high collared navy blue shirt.

His hands swung by his side as he narrowly ducked past a couple, he jumped over a man selling his wares in the middle of the street, and muttered out a apology as he passed an elderly man who he nearly knocked over.

Sasuke was eager to get home and show off the new kunai set that he had won in a taijutsu competition today at school. He couldn't wait to see the look on his fathers face when he recounted how he had beat every boy in his class even Kiba Inuzuka; whose clan were masters of taijutsu.

He knew already that his mom would be happy and proud of him but what he sought for the most was the acknowledgment of his father.

At home Sasuke was always compared to his older brother Itachi and no matter how hard he trained he would always be told that at his age Itachi had already been halfway across the world on C and B ranked missions.

Even though he greatly envied his brother; Itachi was the only real role model Sasuke had to look up to. Besides Shisui he rarely interacted with the other kids of the clan and he rarely spoke to anyone at the academy unless they spoke to him at first.

Sasuke rounded the corner that led to the Uchiha compound and slowed to a jog. Even in his rush to show off his accomplishments he knew he could not afford to rush blindly into the middle of the Uchiha district and risk being labeled a crazy person.

He turned into the compound and automatically bowed down to the clan member who as always was stationed at the gate, or at least he was suppose to be. When Sasuke came out of his formal bow to his horror the body of the gate keeper lay on the ground, blood seeping out of his mouth and pooling around his motionless body.

Sasuke took a step back covering the scream that threatened to rip through his hands. He took a hesitant step forward to inspect the man and grimaced at the brutal wounds that he could see. The man appeared to have been cut up by a katana his innards lay a few feet away from where his body was, his stomach was cut wide open seeping onto the once pristine grounds of the Uchiha clan and making them blood red.

Sasuke continued onward into the compound and had to stop to vomit twice as he noticed that every few blocks lay the body or bodies of his clansmen. As he came closer and closer to the house where he lived he began to recognize some of the bodies that were not too mauled.

There lay the old couple that owned the bakery, over there on the ground her head split open was Naori, across the street leaned up against a tree was Naka several shuriken embedded in his flask jacket.

Sasuke threw the door open to the house he shared with his family and ran up the stairs two at a time. He burst into his parents room his heart pounding from the run as his eyes searched the room for his parents.

The empty room stared back at him and Sasuke closed his eyes to mummer a quick prayer to any deity that would hear his plea.

He turned and ran towards his fathers study and threw that door open. The room wasn't empty, in the middle of the room crouched katana still in hand was his brother Itachi Uchiha. At his feet to his left and right were Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha.

"You monster!" Sasuke didn't care if Itachi was in ANBU or if he was twice his size.

Sasuke threw out a punch hoping to catch the older Uchiha while he was still crouched and didn't have a clear view.

Itachi vanished from his view and black crows swarmed all around him knocking him off his feet and pecking at his face.

Sasuke threw his hands up in a desperate attempt to ward off the birds and stood back up. Before he could slide into his taijutsu stance he lay on his back bewildered and looking up at the ceiling.

Itachi picked him up by his neck and dragged him outside. The pile of bodies that Itachi threw Sasuke next to were piled higher than the boy even if he was standing.

Tears ran down the younger Uchiha's face as the blade of the former ANBU captain was released from out of its sheath.

"Why? Why would you do this to mother and father, they loved you more than me you had everything. You've been acting really strange since Shisui died; you started coming home later, you become cold and indifferent, just yesterday you yelled at mom when she asked you how your day had been. I hate you Itachi! I hate you! I hate you! I just want my older brother back." Sasuke screamed until his lungs hurt and he had to gasp for air.

Itachi stared down at his little brother who was kneeling on the ground crying his eyes out and he sheathed his tanto.

"Listen and listen well little brother. If I've ever taught you anything it was to never take \ anything at face value. Always look underneath the underneath nothing is ever as it seems and the only person you can give your full trust to is yourself and those that will put a kunai in the back of your enemy." Itachi's mangekyo sharingan flared to life in a burst of chakra as he stared down at Sasuke.

Sasuke stared up at his brother in bewilderment and amazement. So these were the eyes that could only be unlocked under extreme stress.

"Goodbye little brother harvest your hatred and use it to fuel your drive. Become strong and maybe one day when you have eyes like mine you can challenge me. Until then brother and never forget….." Itachi muttered as he placed Sasuke into Tsukuyomi.

Sasuke didn't get a chance to hear his brothers final words as he slumped into unconsciousness and was forced to live through the massacre of his clan for forty eight hours.

_I love you little brother_

***Flashback No Jutsu End***

Sasuke smirked as he connected the dots to his brothers final message to him. He looked down at the chakra swirling around his body and brought it under his control.

Tch there was no way he was going to let some weird snake man that wasn't even alive anymore to control his body. He would find out what made this village so special that his brother would sacrifice all he had and even go to the length of killing his own family just to protect it.

And he knew exactly what he had to do to get the answers that would finally allow him to place all the pieces of the puzzle together.

He flipped over the card that Naruto had given him and walked back to his house to change into something that befitted a man who was on the path of greatness.

**-Page Break-**

**Anbu Headquarters- Konohagakure No Sato **

Boar stood at the head of the table in the large enclosed room and stared out at the men and woman under his command.

"Report!" Boar barked gesturing towards a skinny man, with short brown hair, and a rather lazy demeanor who was leaning on a bookshelf to the right of him. The man had a rather nonchalant look on his face and his ANBU mask, that was suppose to be equipped on ones face at all times, hung loosely from his equipment belt that held his kunai and the scabbard for a long sword.

The man looked up at Boar his hazel eyes blinking in confusion before he pointed to himself as if to clarify that the older man was speaking to him.

Boar stared at the lazy man hard, glaring a hole through his mask into him until Ox finally recognizing the danger he would end up in began to straighten out.

The man stood up straight stifling a yawn as he did so and faced his commanding officer.

"Sir, Ox reporting as ordered." He gave a mock salute to the commander of the Anbu and pivoted so that he faced the rows of desk that seated his fellow comrades.

In the back of the classroom the voice of a female was heard yelling at Ox to stop being stupid and to get on with his report before she stuck her foot up his ass.

Ox sweat dropped at the woman's rather vulgar respond to his humor and picked up a folder that lay on the floor next to him. He opened the folder, flipped through a few pages, and then abruptly tossed it to the side causing paper to scatter everywhere.

"Listen up maggots we already know what the problem is and instead of being idiots and running around like chickens with their heads cut off were going to actually do something about it." The man's entire demeanor changed to one of focus and righteous passion as he paced back and forth looking each soldier in the eye.

A teen in the middle of the room raised his hand. Ox stared hard at the young teen whose face was already littered with scars of battle. Good. There would be no time to baby anyone in this room.

"There will be a time for questions later, but for now the situation the village is currently in can not be allowed to be unspoken of any longer. As of now the villages standards of shinobi from all branches is declining, and as if that wasn't bad enough the amount of enrollees into the academy is at an all time low." Ox motioned for the lights to be turned off as he turned a projector on that displayed charts of the five villages current military statistics.

Boar took over at this point and the taller man pointed at a large red dot that was in the center of each major village.

"These are just estimates of the strengths of the other villages compared to our own. As you can see if you look at the red dot the bigger it is the more amount of shinobi they have then us, He pointed to where Kumo was on the map, Kumo has always been known to mass produce shinobi. They practice a strict quality over quantity attitude that makes them juggernauts on the battlefield. Konoha is known for boasting the opposite, we are held in high regard for bringing about genius in almost every generation that are capable of surpassing the last. Are quality of shinobi for the last past forty years has always been superior to that of other villages. Now I ask you what has changed in the last five to ten years that has caused the quantity and quality of our shinobi to drastically fall?"

He pointed to a boy in the back who had two katanas strapped to his back and his Konoha headband wrapped around his neck. His face mask was that of a owl.

The boy stood up saluting at his commanding officer in the process and began to talk, "Perhaps the quality of our shinobi is falling because of the curriculum that the academy has to offer. In the days of the Shodaime and Nidaime to pass the academy was both a mentally and physically rigorous obstacle that managed to produce some of the genius that we hold in such high esteem today."

Boar nodded at the young man as he sat back down, "Very well said young man your answer was spot on. The curriculum is too easy for the kids that comes from clans. Take a look for instance at the clan heads that recently graduated, out of all of them only one moved on to become Chunin. Granted there Chunin exam was one of very dire and stressful circumstances but the performances they put on were adequate at best. At their age their parents and even some of their siblings were already well en route to become Jounin. Hell at that age Itachi-"

"And that is exactly why I stand before you today." A voice bellowed out from the entrance of the meeting room in the ANBU headquarters.

Instantly the tantos of every member in the room were aimed at every vital organ of the raven haired boy that stood before them a cocky smirk on his face. The boy had his hands in his pockets and his eyes were hard with a purpose that wouldn't go unfulfilled.

"Stand down," Boar bellowed from his place in the front of the room. His eyes traveled up the length of the boy in front of him before he sneered, "Boy if you come here in the hopes of joining my army then you must be sorely mistaken. This is not a place for whiny prissy girls that are hell bent on revenge. This boy is a place where boys become men and where women who have the thirst for battle are born and raised. This organization is the reason that our enemies lay awake at night clutching a kunai in the darkness."

Sasuke's smirk got even wider, "Good looks like I came to the right place then."

The captain commander rumbled with laughter and soon every operative in the room joined in, "And what exactly makes you think you have what it takes to-"

Sasuke cut him off again as he appeared in Boar's guard, his borrowed tanto flashing upwards to the man's jugular.

The commander didn't even flinch as hard cold steel pressed up against his vein. Every operative waited with still breath to see what their commander would do.

Boar quickly grabbed the young boys wrist and in one smooth motion broke it sending the boy to the floor clutching his arm.

"Good you didn't cry. Tch that still doesn't mean you have what it takes. Being ANBU isn't just about killing the enemies that dare to harm the leaf it is much more. We protect the village from all intruders we lay down our life if need be we are there to stop the threats to the village before they become threats. Divided we are nothing United we are everything." Boar spoke down at the Uchiha still clutching his wrist on the floor below him.

The crowd of operatives shouted the mantra back their tones full of pride and love for their village.

Sasuke was not fazed by the undying loyalty displayed by the men and women around him he understood what he was getting himself into he stood up his broken wrist forgotten for the moment, "Like I said it looks like I came to the right place."

Boar stared down at the young man and took off his mask. Boar's right eye was covered by an eye patch, however his left eye stared down sternly at the Uchiha before his face lit up into a smile, "Heh you might have what it takes after all kid. Meeting adjourned everyone return to your stations until further instruction from either me or Lord Hokage."

As everyone shuffled out of the large meeting room Sasuke turned towards Boar and gave a rather stiff bow. In a moment of clarification he abruptly realized that he was going to have to get used to being ordered around by people that might even be the same age as him.

The larger man ruffled Sasuke's hair as the younger boy stood up straight and pointed him in the direction of the training facilities only accessible by ANBU.

"Go boy and become one of us." Boar said grinning down at the younger boy.

Sasuke hurried off a new goal and mind and a way to ensure that all the answers that were left unanswered that night were brought to life. He would succeed in ANBU no matter what it took on that he swore on his dream.

As Sasuke walked out of the double doors of the meeting room Boar turned towards the man that had been in the shadows the entire time.

"Looks like your guess was right. I guess telling him the truth about what happened that night will drive him to become the best he can be."

"I would hope so hopefully this will give him the chance to interact with people and build bonds that will tie him to this village." Naruto replied as he too began to walk out of the doors.

"I'll do everything in my power to ensure that Lord Hokage." Boar said bowing deeply to his superior.

**-Page Break-**

**Same day: Rai's Tea Shop- Konohagakure no Sato **

"Move out of the way Ino-pig I was going to sit there!" Sakura exclaimed pushing a blond haired girl out of the seat she was previously occupying and causing her to land on the ground.

Ino turned around to punch the pink haired girl square in the face when a shadow underneath stopped her movement.

The blonde haired girl pouted as Shikamaru walked onto the scene his hands in his clans signature jutsu; **Kagemane No Jutsu **(Shadow bind technique). "No fair Shikamaru you totally just got in the way of our epic rival battle."

Shikamaru released his jutsu and sighed as the two began to bicker again about something that was irrelevant.

After a few more minutes the rest of the rookies minus Sasuke and Naruto began to trickle in.

They all sat around a large table sipping differing flavors of tea as they talked about the recent news and how it would affect the atmosphere of the village.

"Soooo Naruto's Hokage huh." Kiba started off scratching at his nose.

"I think that it is a great thing that Naruto was able to finally achieve his dream." Hinata said in reply to Kiba's oh so great conversation opener.

"Yosh Naruto-kun's flames of youth have reached an all time peak as he strives to build a better future for us all. If I can not achieve this peak of excellence as well then I will run around the village a hundred time on my hands and if I can not do that then I will-"

"Lee please for the love of all things holy shut up." Tenten, Lees rather quick to anger teammate, shouted at the green clad ninja.

Lee quieted down for fear of incurring the wrath of his fiery teammate who had all kinds of weird pointy objects stowed all over her body. (Oh god that sounds so wrong).

Neji sighed at his teams antics and turned the conversation back to its original context. "At anyrate all though Naruto is quite a talented ninja I don't believe that he quite Hokage material. Yes, maybe he is at the point of a mid to high Chunin at best, but I think that the selection of Hokage was rather rushed and sloppy in the wake of losing our last loyal Sannin."

The boys words weighed heavy on the minds of the others as they digested his words. Others in the group began to see the wisdom in the older Hyuga's words and began to see the boy in another light.

It had only been a month or so ago when the boy hated anything to do with the main branch of the Hyuga clan, and now here he was sitting directly next to the clan heiresses surrounded by her closest friends.

Shino and Shikamaru couldn't help but agree with the boy they understand the logic behind what he was saying and to some extent they held the same view.

Kiba spoke up again this time however his tone held none of the lightness and humor it had before, "I believe he has what it take to to be a great Hokage I can sense it in his presence the way he holds himself is the way of a natural born leader. People will follow him and though he may not know how to lead them he will in due time I believe lead this village on the course to a golden age."

Everyone stared in shock at Kiba's words towards their blonde haired friend. To put so much faith into someone that only months ago everyone, with the exception Hinata, put down and criticized.

Kiba's face blushed in response to all the attention he was receiving and he turned away from the looks of his friends.

"Well said Kiba." Ino commented for once in awe of the messy haired boy who sat across from her.

"Well I believe we all know what this means." Shino spoke up from his place in the corner of the booth.

"Hell yeah there's no way i'm letting Naruto get stronger than me." Kiba proclaimed standing up and putting his outstretched fist in the middle of the table.

The others smiled at Kibas declaration and put their fist on top of theirs.

"What a drag. I guess its decided then huh." Shikamaru drawled.

"No matter what we'll all continue to grow and strength and support each other because we are the future. We must grow stronger in order to ensure the safety of the leaf. We are more than just mere Shinobi. We are the Konoha twelve!" They shouted in unison as they all went their separate ways all of them with a new mindset focused on bettering themselves for the sake of each other and for the peace of the village.

**-Page Break- **

**Konohagakure no Sato: Afternoon that same day**

Sakura dragged her feet on her way home after the meeting with other Konoha rookies. The meeting had left her with a sense of self loathing and self doubt that gnawed at her. Before any of this happened Sakura knew she could rely on Sasuke, and to a lesser extent Naruto, to come to her rescue.

The chunin exam had showed her the errors of relying on her teammates to always be there and to always protect. The more she thought of it the more it made her angry at her past self selfish mindset of always relying on other people.

She knew now that she had to better herself and that she had to catch up to Naruto and Sasuke more than ever. She vowed that today would be the day that she began to hone her skills to be someone that Sasuke and Naruto could look to for help. She was done playing catch up from now on she would take a running start into every obstacle laid before her.

Sakura Haruno was done with being weak and she knew exactly how she would change all of her weakness and turn into someone that all of her enemies would fear.

That she swore on her nindo.

**A/n: Oh god I don't even know what to say besides i'm deeply sorry for such a late upload. Homework has been very stressful as of late and within the last two weeks i've had a project due in every class except music. I can't apologize enough for being so late and I know that apologizing won't make up for it, but I really hope that you guys continue to read and review it really boosts my confidence and makes me want to continue writing. Now that that is over on to other things. So a lot of people have recently pm'd me or reviewed about the pairings for this story and so im starting to get the idea that it's something that you guys feel very passionate about. The majority of the people that have talked to me have requested a harem (for those of you who don't know what a harem is it is typically where a male has three or more women that he is in a relationship at the same time and they're all cool with it. Weird I know.) and others have requested specific pairings. So i've decided to let you guys decided well more like I want to hear what you guys want the most. I may or may not do it just saying that now. Until next time this is Asura signing off. BYE!**

**Recommendation: Never Cut Twice by shadowmaster62. It's pretty old but epic nonetheless. **


	6. Chapter 6: Becoming a Legend

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did I would be rolling in money right now.**

**Becoming a Legend**

**Chapter 6: Becoming A Legend **

_A lifetime of glory is worth a moment of pain. - Laura Hillenbrand_

Naruto Uzumaki lazed in his chair stationed behind his large oak desk. His feet were propped carefully on top of yesterdays paper work and his hat that identified him as the leader of his village was pulled over his face as to block the sun from disturbing his sleep.

Soft snores could be heard from the young blond as he took a break from his rather strenuous job of being the leader of one of the biggest and most influential villages in the world.

Shizune stood over said blonde; one hand on her hip and her other hand balancing a stack of paperwork, and glared down at her young boss. '_Really I just woke him up a hour ago and told him to get back to work after he decided that finalizing treaties was a job not worthy of someone of his stature,' _Shizune thought to herself.

She cleared her throat in an effort to get the Hokage to wake up and resume his duties. After that epicly failed she decided to do it the old fashioned way, and with a few hand signs the Hokage stood before her soaked, his hair flopped over his face, and his robes dripping with water.

Naruto was not a fan of being woken up especially when it consisted of being woken up covered in water. He glared at his assistant from underneath his soaked bangs and promptly began his own series of hand signs.

Shizune saw the deadly stare her young commander was directing her way and dodged out of the way as a highly pressurized ball of compacted wind erupted out of Naruto's mouth aimed to destroy everything in its path. Or atleast thats what it was meant to do, less than halfway through its course the once deadly ball of wind became nothing more than a harmless breeze that resulted in a few papers being scattered around the room.

Shizune sweatdropped at Naruto's failed attempt at trying out a B-ranked jutsu usually reserved for Jōnin of high caliber and above.

Naruto glared at his hands as if they were the ones to blame for his failure at attempting the **Fūton: Renkūdan **(Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet), a powerful B-ranked jutsu that was suppose to at its full potential shred through an opponent and if need be a building or two.

"Seriously what was Danzo thinking trying to teach you such a high leveled wind technique that you clearly aren't ready for." Shizune said gesturing at the lack of havoc that was caused by the jutsu.

Naruto looked at his shoes glumly as Shizune continued to lecture him. He was mad at himself for failing to accomplish a jutsu that he had been practicing for a week now that was still well out of his reach of mastering.

Shizune walked around the room picking up the scattered paper before placing it all back on Naruto's desk. Her face softened as she stared at the disheartened expression of the young blonde and grabbed his chin to force him to look up at her. "Hey stopping moping around you have a village to run. What kind of Hokage gets down in the dumps when he fails to accomplish something, no matter what Naruto you have to keep pushing through till you accomplish your goal whether it be mastering a jutsu or world peace. Remember everything you do will take commitment so no matter what keep at it and keep pushing through till you reach your goal. There will always be barriers in your way, but what makes a great Hokage is the drive to continue and break past those limits."

"Thanks Shizune-nee I really needed to hear that I haven't been progressing as much as I would want in my training so far. I just feel so hopeless like I will never be able to protect the village as I am now." Naruto confessed looking up at Shizune for guidance.

"Yes you're right, as you are now you wouldn't be able to stop a group of genin from breaking in the village, however Shizune said bring Naruto back out of his funk, you're not alone in this you have the loyalty of every villager in this village and we will help you shoulder the burden of leadership until your shoulders are strong enough to carry us all on the path of glory that this village has seeked for years." Shizune said still looking down at the young leader who she knew needed guidance in his early stages of being a leader.

Shizune got up and dusted herself off before she turned and opened the door to exit the office, before she left she looked back and gave her Hokage one more smile of encouragement before a whistling kunai flew down the hallway and hit her in the back of the head.

Shizune slumped to the floor blood pooling around the floor where she lay her glassy eyes staring out past Naruto to the village below before they lost all signs of life. Naruto stared down in shock and disbelief at the lifeless body of Shizune. He took a step forward to check the body and had to quickly jump backwards behind his desk as another kunai blazed forward intent on skewering him.

A man came barreling into the room cloak billowing out behind him as he charged the young Hokage his large sword already mid swing to decapitate the blond. Naruto palmed one of his _Hiraishin _kunai and ducked the large sword that was wrapped in bandages.

Naruto swipe out at his opponents legs as he ducked the strike, but his opponent was quicker and with a forward roll the intruder rolled over Naruto and in the same motion swung at the boys exposed back.

The Naruto clone disappeared in a puff of smoke and in the wake of the clones death Naruto used the smoke screen to launch a deadly attack at his aggressors torso.

Kisame easily batted Naruto's poor attack aside and picked the blond up by the scruff of his neck before throwing him into a nearby wall where he slumped to the floor barely holding on to consciousness.

Kisame cackled at the plight of his prey and brought his blade down to knock the blonde out before he could get the chance to retaliate.

Naruto finished the final hand sign for his jutsu and reared his head back, this time when he let his drilling air bullet fly it was backed by his rage and desperation.

The point blank air bullet pushed the larger Kisame off his feet and knocked him through the building and onto the streets below.

Naruto flickered to the streets with a quick body flicker and continued his counter attack. With a flurry of kicks aimed to disable his opponent before he had the chance to launch his own attack Naruto drove into Kisame's guard hoping to land a hit or two on the S-classed Shinobi that was feared around the world.

Kisame shrugged off the attacks that managed to break into his guard before he grew bored and with one hand grabbed Naruto's wrist and broke it. With his other hand Kisame brought his sword around and leveled it at Naruto's neck.

"Enough!" Danzo shouted from his place atop a tree where he could get a perfect view of the training simulation that Naruto was undergoing.

Naruto sagged his head and defeat as the genjutsu around 'Kisame' and 'Konoha' were lifted. They were in fact not in Konoha but rather a desolated training area a few miles from the actual Konoha. Kisame was played by Hayate Gekko, an accomplished swordsman and rising Tokubetsu Jōnin, Shizune was of course played by Shizune, and the entire thing was orchestrated and brought together by the combined intellect and powers of Kurenai and Danzo.

Danzo shook his head at Naruto's simulation results and gestured for the boy to join him in his place among the trees as they went over what went wrong and analyzed how to improve next time.

"So do you understand what you did wrong this time Naruto?" Danzo began as he let the boy think about the entire situation.

"My awareness in the heat of battle and my lack of knowledge of my opponents abilities and strengths caused me to lose my fight. If I was more aware of my surroundings I would have been able to notice that there was no other shinobi waiting in the wings to help Kisame, also if I was using my chakra to sense I could have been aware that there was a platoon of Anbu halfway on their way to assist me." Naruto said as he thought of every detail he could have missed during his battle with 'Kisame'.

Danzo stroked his chin in thought truly Naruto was at least beginning to learn some of the things he wished to teach him. Now to push him a little more and make him truly think, "And if you were using your senses and thinking about your surroundings what would you have done differently in this fight."

Naruto didn't even have to think of a response he instantly knew what he would have done differently. "Firstly my first objective would have been to ensure that the village was clear of civilians for at least a couple miles out to ensure that the rate of casualties was minimum. By fanning my clones out when I noticed the threat of a potential foe I would have been able to get the civilians out of harms way to allow me to fight without the worry of harming my own people. Then after that I should have stalled for as long as possible to wait for back up after initially gauging my opponents strength and finding out how much stronger he was than me."

Danzo nodded sagely at his pupils self assessment and gave the boy a tiny smile, "You did well today Naruto the first step to becoming strong is to figure out your own weaknesses and to correct them before they cost you your life or the lives of your comrades in your first battle. Understanding where you went wrong and wanting and knowing how to improve will lead you on a path of self improvement."

Kurenai, Hayate, and Shizune all smiled encouraging smiles wishing their Hokage the best they left heading back towards the village to continue their duties.

"Though you are improving strategically you will also need the skills that will allow you to kill your opponents." Danzo said a stern look on his face.

"I am aware of my shortcomings and have already found the remedy to fix my glaring weaknesses in taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu." Naruto declared as him and Danzo also began to walk back towards the village.

Danzo raised one eyebrow in interest and stared down at the young Hokage, "Oh, and what would that be?"

"Heh easy," Naruto said placing his hands behind his head and giving a cocky grin.

"Well our you going to tell?" Danzo said probing the boy for information.

"The library of course!"

Danzo face planted.

-Break-

Naruto had to make a few short detours on his way to the library. Naruto's feet brought him to the humble home of Jōnin Asuma Sarutobi, the son of the late Third Hokage and more importantly one of the only wind release users in Konoha.

Naruto knocked on the door of the smoking Jōnin's house and patiently waited for the bearded man to come to the door.

Asuma cracked open the door to his house ready to rant at whoever was stupid enough to wake him up at nine in the morning on his off day. Asuma closed his mouth when he saw just who exactly was standing in his doorway Hokage robes still in place and smiling up at him.

"Come in Hokage-sama I wasn't expecting a visit from you." Asuma said gesturing for Naruto to come into his home.

Naruto took a quick moment to admire the rather laid-back mans home and with a appraising nod noticed the lack of anything in Asuma's home. Like most shinobi Asuma didn't have many possessions in his home as he was usually on missions and didn't have the time or interest to enjoy the luxuries that most civilians took for granted.

Naruto finished his look around the house and focused on Asuma. "I'll get straight down to business then if you don't mind. I came here because I understand that you not only are one of the sole users of wind techniques, but also that you are quite a prodigy with wind techniques and the use of chakra blades." Naruto said gesturing at the pair of chakra blades that were stuffed into the pockets of Asuma's pants.

Asuma puffed out his chest at the compliments his Hokage were giving him and pulled one of his trench knives out to show it to Naruto. "My blades were made with a special metal that can be infused with elemental chakra to not only add special effects depending on your element but also to be the basis of elemental jutsu."

Naruto stared in awe as Asuma channeled chakra through the length of his knives and made the tips and the knuckles glow blue with chakra.

Asuma aimed his glowing knife at a potted plant and sliced once clean through the plant. The slash continued onward and cut deep into the wall that was a few feet behind the plant.

Asuma grinned at Naruto's stupefied expression kids were so easy to impress. "So you want to learn some wind techniques huh?" Asuma began as he pocketed his knife once more.

Naruto nooded and pulled out his _Hiraishin _kunai that was around his neck on the chain that Jiraiya had given him.

Asuma stared at the legendary kunai of the Fourth Hokage and began to connect the dots as to what Naruto wanted to learn. "Oh I understand you want me to teach you how to fight with your kunai in the same way that I fight with my trench knives."

"Are you willing to help me I can pay you for your services if that is what is required." Naruto offered pulling out his frog wallet.

Asuma shook his head and gave Naruto his money back, "Don't sweat it kid it's my role as a soldier of this village to help teach the younger generation. Besides how cool will I look when I tell everyone that I helped the Hokage master Wind jutsu and that I helped him make his own fighting style. I reckon i'll be recognized all around the village.

Naruto grinned at the older man and bowed deeply. "Thanks Asuma surely with your help i'll be another step closer to ensuring that the safety of this village is guaranteed for a hundred years."

"Heh thats your goal hmm. I tell you what come by on Fridays and Saturdays and i'll help train you." Asuma arranged.

"Sure thing Asuma see you on Friday then." Naruto replied.

Before the blonde could leave Asuma's house the man stopped him with a question.

"How did you manage to pull off the **Hiraishin no Jutsu **(Flying Thunder God Technique) anyway?" Asuma questioned.

Naruto smirked at the question, "I didn't what you guys saw me do during my announcement as Hokage was merely a **Kawarimi no Jutsu** (Body Replacement Technique).

Asuma laughed out loud at the blondes deviousness and cleverness to fool a crowd of Shinobi and citizens into thinking he had mastered such a high level technique was amazing. He understood the reasoning behind it though. If the villagers and shinobi believed that Naruto could pull of the **Hiraishin no Jutsu **then that would lay to rest all the doubts of his lineage, also it would put fear into the hearts of any spies that might have been there.

Naruto had truly came a long way from that kid that used to pull pranks on the villagers. Asuma could see that kid was still in there somewhere below the surface, however the boy no man before him was destined to do something great.

-Break-

With his business with Asuma done Naruto had just one more stop before he could go to the library and do something that the old him hated the most, reading.

Naruto stood in front of the sole weapons shop in the entirety of the village. The shop was frequented by shinobi and civilian alike and boasted to be the sole provider of every piece of equipment that every shinobi used.

The door jingled as Naruto poked his head into the doorway.

"Hello and welcome to Yukari's weapon shop. How may I help you?" Tenten asked from her place behind the counter. She flipped a kunai in boredom as she said the usual welcoming speech.

Naruto fully walked into the store and drooled at all of the weapons that were in the shop. From kunai, to katana, to broadswords they had it all.

Tenten went into a deep bow when she noticed just who had walked into her shop,"Hokage-sama what a pleasant surprise for you to visit us."

He took a moment to get a good look at the girl behind the counter. Tenten he knew was on the same team as Neji and Lee, he also knew that she was quite the expert at using weapons of all kinds and was praised with helping defend civilians during the invasion.

Tenten was a pleasant looking girl with brown hair that was did up in Chinese-style buns with short fringes on either side of her head. Her forehead protector lay across her forehead. As usual she sported a pink sleeveless qipao-style blouse with standard shinobi pants. Naruto grinned at the formal Tenten and asked her to rise from her stiff bow.

Tenten had noticed Naruto checking her out and had to do her own assessment of the blonde in front of her.

His usual spiky blonde hair was in place with his forehead protector that rested on his head. Standard shinobi pants, flask jacket, and boots were equipped, however the thing that made Naruto stand out the most was his haori that like his father was decorated with flames at the bottom. His unlike his father were bathed in blue and the kajin for Fifth Hokage was stitched on the back. Underneath his haori you could see the traditional robes of the Hokage. All in all the entire look made Naruto look like a more mature version of his younger self, and she had to admit with that haori he looked like a total badass.

"I was wondering if you could help me with something?" Naruto questioned.

"Yes, of course here at Yukari our motto is every broken weapon can be fixed and if we can't fix it then it isn't broken!" Tenten exclaimed full of energy.

Naruto chuckled at the rather sour motto and once again removed his prized _Hiraishin _kunai from around his neck and placed it on the counter.

Tenten fainted when she got a full look at what exactly Naruto had put on the counter.

Naruto sweat dropped at the sprawled out girl who had little anime swirls in her eyes. "Oi you haven't even heard what I want you to do yet."

"Of course my apologies Hokage-sama" Tenten said jumping back to her feet and admiring the kunai like she hadn't just fainted.

"I need you to make replicas of these kunai for me. At the least i'll need one hundred, do you think you can do that?" Naruto asked.

Tenten snorted in an unladylike way at Naruto's question, "Who do you think i'am i'll have these kunai done for you in two days or my name isn't Tenten-"

Right when Tenten was going to proclaim her last name a gust of wind blew past the shop drowning her voice out.

Naruto sweat dropped at his misfortune he hadn't been able to find out what Tenten's last name was.

"Well anyways thanks for the help Tenten i'll see you when my orders done," Naruto said waving goodbye.

"Wait. Uh you aren't seeing anyone are you?" Tenten asked her face red and her hands fidgeting at her sides.

Naruto gave her a quizzical look, "I'm going to see the librarian if that is what you are asking."

Tenten pouted in a cute way and blushed even more, "Uh what I meant is do you like someone right now?"

Naruto's eyes widened in realization at what Tenten was asking him and his own face blushed under her intense gaze. "I haven't really had the chance to think of anything personal like that in a while. If you had asked me a month ago my sure fire answer would have been Sakura-chan, but after spending time with Ero-sennin and after a deep reflection i've come to realise that my love for Sakura wasn't there anymore. She's more of a sister to me now more like someone that I feel that I want to protect instead of be with in that type of way. You know what i'm saying?"

Tenten sighed she understood exactly where Naruto was coming from she too had fallen in love with someone who didn't feel the same way about her, and just like with Naruto her crush was one of her teammates Neji Hyuga.

Tenten winked at Naruto as he was leaving, "Heh I guess that means I have a chance then huh?"

Naruto gave her a blank stare. "A chance for what?"

Tenten facepalmed at Naruto and sighed some boys were just too stupid for their own good. She winked again, "To be the Hokage's wife of course!"

"What!?"

-Break-

After nearly fainting upon hearing Tenten's proclamation Naruto headed in the direction of the Konoha library at long last.

His feet guided him through downtown Konoha where all the hustle and bustle was this was where usually the majority of stores and big time houses were. When people came to visit the village most tourist spent their time in this sector spending their money at the various shops and hotels that were spread around the area. The Konoha library was more towards the Hokage's tower and the academy were the more middle-class residential homes were located.

Naruto was contemplating putting on a disguise or using a Henge when he went out on trips like this, because around every corner seemed to be a villager bowing and yelling Hokage-sama. Not to get him wrong Naruto was enjoying all the attention as a kid he never got attention like this and truthfully he didn't know how to act under these types of circumstances.

He was used to getting negative attention in the form of punishment after during a wide scale prank, but now to have random people walk up to him and bow and shake his hand was all a surreal experience that he had only dreamed of as a kid growing up in the slums of Konoha.

As he began to exit the chaotic downtown area on his way into the more business oriented area of the village he was stopped by one of his blonde haired classmates from the academy.

Ino Yamanaka was having a lousy day. First after being woken up at seven in the morning to her parents arguing in the kitchen she had been ambushed and kidnapped by her own teammates Choji and Shikamaru. After they led her to the middle of nowhere to meet up with their sensei for training on their day off, she had been forced to sweat in the glaring heat as their now deranged sensei Asuma threw kunai and other weapons at them in order to as he put it increase their reaction time.

After finally getting home and scrubbing all the dirt and grime off of her she had decided that she deserved a few moments of peace by herself, which of course was interrupted by her parents making her run the family shop in their stead while they went off on 'Official Shinobi Business' A.K.A. lets go on a date and leave poor Ino to work the shop by herself.

Ino blew her hair out of her face as she helped another customer bag his purchase. Working at a flower shop for four hours was not her idea of fun in any stretch of the word. She gazed out the window as the customer left and noticed her blonde counterpart from the academy, the now Hokage, walking down the street hands in pocket and a blissful look on his face.

"Hey Hokage-sama." Ino cooed in a sultry tone of voice from the doorway of her shop.

The blonde in question raised his head in her direction and turned to walk towards the shop that housed flowers of varying kinds.

"Hey whats up Ino?" Naruto asked after he had fully stepped into the shop.

Of course Naruto had remembered Ino from his time in the academy everyone noticed her she was the spunky blonde who always had a cheerful grin on her face. What most people didn't know though was underneath all that beauty and fiery attitude lay a cunning prankster much like the blonde Hokage himself. Ino had helped him plan out some of his pranks, and although at the time Ino was in in love with Sasuke and Naruto Sakura they had both shared a bond that some would say extended to more than just friendship.

Ino gazed at Naruto and took in his attire before she smirked mischievously, "Naruto I haven't seen you in so long how have you been?"

Naruto grinned at Ino he had saw her mischievous grin and knew that she was planning something. '_Fine two can play at that game eh Ino-chan.' _Naruto thought to himself.

He looked around her shop picking up a random plant and pretending to examine it before putting it back down, "You know this that typical Hokage business."

Ino pouted at her friends unusual quietness and put her hand on her hip, "You wouldn't hide anything from your Ino-chan would you?"

Naruto began to sweat at her intense gaze before he smirked cockily at her, "You sure you're not hiding anything from poor old Naruto-kun?"

Ino almost lost her composure when Naruto stared at her with those deep blue eyes before she flipped her hair, "Oh.. and what would that be whiskers-kun?"

"Hey no fair you said you wouldn't call me that anymore!" Naruto exclaimed.

"My my are we losing our temper over a nickname whiskers-kun?" Ino said as she took a step closer to the blonde.

Naruto blushed as Ino got closer to him, "Heh of course not who do you think your talking too little bush clover."

Ino gasped at Naruto's nickname, "Thats it the gloves are off now."

Ino grabbed a handful of dirt from a potted plant and hurled it at the blonde Hokage. The dirt smacked him dead in the face and proceed to get all over his haori and Hokage robes.

"Thats it young lady you're going down now."

Ino shrieked as Naruto advanced on her tickling her sides and her stomach till she collapsed on the ground tears pooling around her eyes.

"Naruto-kun stop I give ok." Ino said through her fits of laughter from her place on the ground.

Naruto stood up and with a cocky smirk before he stretched his hand down to give her a hand up.

"Sike haha I can't believe you fell for that," Ino said now as she sat atop the spiky haired boy whose face was now planted into the floor after Ino used the hand he had extended to flip him onto his back where she now resided.

"Not fair Ino-chan that was a dirty trick." Naruto pouted as Ino stuck her tongue out at him with a mocking face.

Ino helped him up after she made Naruto proclaim that she was the best prankster in all of Konoha.

"Heh jokes on you I had my fingers crossed the entire time." Naruto mocked.

Ino looked at Naruto with sad eyes, "You would do that to me Naruto-kun."

Naruto began to stutter over his words in the presence of Ino's ultimate technique, the puppy dog jutsu.

After profuse apologies Ino returned to normal and they shared a laugh over their little 'fight'.

"Hey Naruto I know how you can make it up to me." Ino said as they cleaned up the little mess they had made. (Not like that guys get your head out of the gutter)

"And what would that be?" Naruto asked already dreading the answer.

"Well since you're the Hokage and stuff now that must mean you're loaded. So I was thinking you could take me shopping."

Naruto sweat dropped at Ino's selfish tendencies, "This is what you had planned from the beginning isn't it?"

"Yep!"

-Break-

Naruto once again hit the road in an attempt to make it to the library before closing time. After him in Ino went shopping after she insisted that he wear something other than his Hokages robes everyday they had both settled on traditional black shinobi pants with tape for his ankles that could double as bandages if need be.

An Anbu flask jacket that was weighted with extra pockets for scrolls. Standard shinobi arm and wrist guards with fuuinjutsu for protected resistance against attacks and for storage. Lastly Naruto got a **Fūinjutsu **(Sealing technique) seal tattooed on his palm so that he could instantly equip his _Hiraishin_ kunais. His haori still was on his person to tie together his look and if the admiring looks from the girls he walked past were anything to go by then he would be in the right to say he looked like a total badass.  
Finally after what felt like an eternity he reached the library and just in time because the librarian had begun to clean up for closing.

Naruto entered quickly and gathered the books that he would need to finally began training to defend his village from all threats. He would train with Danzo every morning on strategy and how to handle dignified lords.

In the evenings he would work as a Hokage should while Shizune coached him in the proper etiquette that was required of him and the politics that went with being Hokage.

On Monday nights he would meditate and try to find peace with his self as well as try to get the Kyuubi to cooperate with him. On Tuesday nights he would train with Iruka to better his academic front and to in a sense catch up on everything he didn't pay attention to in the academy. Wednesday nights were taijutsu and focusing on building his speed and weight resistance training. Thursday nights were spent with Ino practicing genjutsu and with Tenten practicing Fūinjutsu. Friday and Saturday nights were spent with Asuma working on wind jutsu and on his weapon work, also on these nights Naruto would plan out the layout for his own wind jutsu.

He needed books on Fūinjutsu, Genjutsu, Making jutsu, Taijutsu, Theorycraft, Strategy, and Cooking. The last one was demanded of him by Ino who said that a man that couldn't cook would never be able to get any woman.

With his duty at the library finally done Naruto made his way to his final stop of the night before he turned in for the day.

-Break-

The hospital was quiet during this time of day visiting hours were over and everyone that was in the hospital was usually sleep.

Naruto walked down the hallway in the intensive care ward with a grim look. After the invasion this ward had seen an overload of patients. Naruto wanted to change that by implementing a medic-nin program, as of now the medic corps were lacking and that was something that couldn't continue.

Naruto peered into his senseis room before he stepped into the room of Kakashi Hatake. The man still hadn't recovered after Itachi Uchiha put him into a powerful genjutsu. The doctors said that he was in a coma like state trapped in his mind and unable to communicate. They said he was getting weaker by the day and if they weren't able to help him soon he would be lost for forever.

Naruto felt that it was his fault that his sensei had ended up in the hospital in the first place. Itachi had come for the Kyuubi and if Naruto had been in the village then Kakashi wouldn't have had to fight Itachi and Kisame.

While Naruto was at the hospital he went to check up on Lee as well who was still in there after he had been horribly crippled by Gaara during the chunin exams.

Naruto swore as he left the hospital that he would find a way to help the both of them or he would die trying.

-Break-

**Suna: Same Day**

Temari lazed in the house that she shared with her older brother Kankuro and her younger brother Gaara. After the failed invasion on Konoha the village Hidden In the Sand was in constant fear of an attack in retaliation of their treachery and broach of their treaty. Temari was sad and also fearful of going to war with Konoha. Konoha had easily shown how they could bat away the attacks of two villages and still come out on top mostly unscathed.

Also while she was in Konoha she had the opportunity to hang out with kids that were her age and live for once.

Before her fathers death at the hands of Orochimaru Temari was treated as a princess, as the only daughter of the Yondaime Kazekage she was the envy of all girls and the heart throb of all boys.

Suitors lined up at her door hoping to win her hand in marriage, however she wasn't that much interested in romance she wanted to be a respectable kunoichi of her village and be respected as such.

While in Konoha she had admired the one boy that had managed to defeat her unbeatable brother and after that had managed to change his personality for the better. Yes, because of Naruto Uzumaki her sweet little brother had been returned to her instead of that demon that he had pretended to be after the death of their uncle.

Quite often lately the blonde whiskered boy had been in her thoughts and on occasion had managed to sneak into her dreams.

When the council leaders had come to her with an idea of winning the leafs trust back she smiled when they announced that….

-Break-

Naruto almost fell out of his chair when he read the paper from Suna saying that they wanted to arrange a marriage between the daughter of their Fourth Kazekage and the son of the Fourth Hokage.

Naruto called a meeting of all the clan heads this was something that would be decided by the entire council. If they believed he should marry Temari in the best interest of the village then he would.

**A/N: OMFG i'm back BITCHES! What's good ladies and gentlemen im back with another chapter after almost a month. Why oh why can't I be consistent. This chapter is 6,000 words folks the most I've ever written. Like I legit had an entire spring break to write this and I wrote nothing. I literally just wrote all this in one sitting on Sunday night when I should have been during homework due tomorrow, however I love you guys too much to leave you hanging so bam there you go I hope you enjoy. Like always please review. Oh yea that poll is still up btw so go check it out if you care about the pairing of the story. Yes I setup the scenes between the girls like that on purpose just tease you guys. I'm rambling too much go review Peace!**

**Recommended thingy: Feint (artist) helped me get through this chapter.**


	7. Chapter 7: Enter Uzumaki Clan

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did I would be rolling in money right now.**

**Becoming a Legend**

**Chapter 7: Enter Uzumaki Clan **

_Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. - Albert Einstein_

**Two Months Later: Konoha Council Room **

Naruto stared on as the council began yet another argument on the latest issue that had managed to plague them for the last two months. After Suna sent their proposal to establish peace among the two villages in the wake of the attack, orchestrated by Orochimaru of the Sannin, that had left over half of the village in shambles. The council had been in a very heated debate on whether or not the proposal should be accepted.

The council seemed to be evenly divided at this point with one half arguing that Suna couldn't be trusted after their betrayal and part in the invasion that had left the leaf weak. Those were the ones that were pushing to go to war with Suna. They were the ones who had lost loved ones in the attack.

The other side argued that the marriage between Naruto and Temari would be a great asset to the village. They argued that having Temari as the wife of their Hokage would make Suna more easy to control.

Naruto however was sick and tired of the constant debate between the two heated factions. At this point he would rather just give up his hat to some unlucky bastard on the street and have him deal with this mess. Naruto Uzumaki wasn't meant to be in a council room arguing politics he could have been on the training fields perfecting his new jutsu or at the very least strolling around his village.

Two council members from differing sides got up at the same time their hands going to their kunai pouch to draw a weapon.

"Enough!" Naruto barked as he stood up and unleashed his chakra force on the assembled members.

The wave of chakra though unstable in its use was an oppressive force that made some fall to their knees not able to stand under the pressure.

Naruto waved his hand in dismissal and the small group that made up his council shuffled out of the double doors likely to go home and think up something new for the next meeting.

Danzo wobbled over to the young Hokage and sat across from him.

Naruto waited patiently for Danzo to say something about his uncontrolled burst of emotion that was unbecoming of a dignified Hokage.

"Go ahead lecture me already about my outburst, I know you want to." Naruto said as he stared across at the old shinobi that had been a mentor to him in these last months.

Danzo grunted and adjusted himself in his chair into a more comfortable position. "As if I have time to lecture you on some trivial matter like this. You know why I'am here and you know what I want."

Naruto looked away as Danzo stared at him, his eyes penetrating deep into his soul seeking out the truth. "What do you want me to say Danzo? That I can't sleep at night? That I have nightmares every time I close my eyes? Or maybe you want me to tell you about the screams that I hear every fucking night of that woman that you slaughtered right in front of me!"

Danzo didn't flinch at the tone of voice Naruto was using. Instead he merely shifted his gaze to a point behind Naruto. "Do you know why I wanted to be Hokage so bad?"

Naruto stared on in confusion not understanding the solemn and sincere tone of voice Danzo was directing towards him.

"It wasn't because I wanted to be rich, or famous, or for power. Hell it wasn't even because I wanted to spite that old monkey Hiruzen. No, I chased the dream of Hokage not for the title or the power, but for the sole reason that I believed that I was the only person that could lead this village on the path that every Hokage before you has failed to do." Danzo coughed into his hand and reached down to pick up his dropped cane. "I'm a old man Naruto I have seen a lot in my years as a shinobi of this village and I can tell you one thing success in life doesn't mean anything if the value behind it is nothing."

Naruto clenched his hands as thoughts of Jiraiya flashed through his mind. Though he was his teacher only for a short while the things that he had left in Naruto's hands and the image that he left of his own will still burned brightly. This Naruto knew was what Danzo spoke of, a man not judged by how well he has done, but by the value behind what he has done.

"Now onto less serious topics, like why you are so afraid of signing this proposal?" Danzo asked interrupting Naruto from his thoughts.

Naruto froze mid thought his eyes focusing on anything but Danzo's hawk like eyes, "What makes you think i'm scared to sign it?"

Danzo narrowed his eyes at Naruto. "Don't test me boy I can see straight through your lies. Does this by any chance have anything to do with how much time you've been spending with that Yamanaka girl?"

Danzo grinned at Naruto's fish like expression, "Ah.. so the rumors are true then."

"Rumors of what?" Naruto questioned.

Danzo smirked evilly as he leaned forward to stare at Naruto. "Nothing except that the blonde haired Hokage himself was courting the heiress of the Yamanaka Clan Ino Yamanaka." Danzo took a pause to further scrutinize Naruto who was squirming under his gaze. "What I don't understand is what the Yamanaka girl has to do with your hesitation to sign the proposal."

Naruto stood up quickly and began pacing the room. "Im in love with her okay. I can't sign the proposal because I love Ino Yamanaka."

Danzo immediately burst into laughter his entire body rumbling with the force of his chuckles. Danzo wiped a lone tear out of the corner of his eye before he fixed his appearance.

"You can't be serious." Danzo sighed at Naruto's stupid expression. "Really what is Iruka and Shizune teaching you at these remedial courses? You're literally the last of two of the most renowned shinobi clans in the entire elemental nations. Did you really believe that you would only accept one wife?"

Naruto stared on blankly not quite understanding the point of the conversation. Of course he would only take one wife wasn't their laws against that type of thing.

Danzo walked over to one of the bookshelves lining the walls of the council room until he found what he was looking for. He tossed the heavy book in front of Naruto and walked out of the room.

"There that should solve this damned problem." Danzo shouted over his shoulder as he exited.

Naruto stared down at the book filled with all of the clans of Konoha. Towards the end was a section labeled CRA (Clan Restoration Act).

A perverted grin spread across Naruto's face as he read just exactly what the CRA entitled.

**-Break- **

**That Night: Hokages Living Quarters **

Naruto yawned as he sat on his large bed and prepared himself for another night of nightmares. He could feel the presence of the four ANBU tasked with guarding him at all times of the day. One sat on the roof humming a tune, another was hidden in the shadows of his curtain, the third stood in his kitchen?, and the fourth… where was the fourth. Naruto stood up and automatically began reaching for the kunai pouch that wasn't on him.

He heard the ANBU agent in his room gasp out in pain before he slumped to the floor his neck cut open. The other two rushed into the room their tantos at the ready as they stood in a defensive formation in front of their Hokage.

Meanwhile Naruto took the brief opportunity to locate his kunai pouch and place it around his waist. The ninja struck fast and if not for the months of training with Tenten and her deadly weapons Naruto would have been skewered through. Luckily, Naruto's reflexes saved his life and he quickly set up his own counter attack in the form of a jutsu.

"**Futon: Daitoppa" **(Wind release: Great Breakthrough) Naruto intoned his voice heavy with concentration as wind chakra whipped around before he focused it all at his target.

The blast of wind knocked the intruder backwards into the down swing of the bird masked ANBU. The strike missed wide and the intruder jumped back into the fray, he leaped over the first operative before he turned and in a fluid motion beheaded the other operative.

He advanced on Naruto sword slick with the life fluid of the man he had just killed. His sword didn't get far as the other ANBU dashed in his kunai poised and backed by his fury.

This time his aim was true and with a squelch the intruder was pierced clean through his heart. The ANBU agent turned towards his commander and took a knee awaiting orders. Naruto however was distracted by the strange presence he had felt right as the man died. Though the feeling was new Naruto felt a distant connection to the presence.

Naruto's home was flooded with Anbu operatives in the next few minutes all swarming to make sure the Hokage was okay. The body of the man and the fallen operative, who he later learned was named Kijo, was taken away to the morgue.

Naruto sighed in frustration as he walked back to the Council Hall his Hokage robes and hat back in place. It looked like once again sleep would escape him.

**-Break-**

The members of the council shuffled in one by one some obviously more disheveled than others.

"Firstly I would like to apologize for waking you at such an ungodly hour." Naruto began as the last person walked into the room and took her place at the table. "Just a few minutes ago I was attacked in my own quarters by a masked ninja. Though me and my guards were able to handle him it cost us the lives of two of our operatives. May we take a moment of silence for their service to their village." Naruto stopped to let the council sink all this in while he made a silent prayer for the families of those lost. "I will not stand by while masked intruders come into my village in the night seeking to assassinate me." He turned to the head medic that had performed an autopsy on the intruder.

"Upon examining the intruder we were shocked to find a seal or rather numerous seals all working together to form powerful mind control technique. The man that broke into the Hokages chambers is a citizen of this village by the name of Kaido Kaze, it appears that Mr. Kaido was reported missing three days ago by his wife. We have analyst trying to decipher the exact purpose behind the sealing, but what we do know now is that it had to have taken the skill of a master sealist on par with the Fourth Hokage himself.

Everyone in the council gasped at the shocking discovery. To have a enemy that could utilize techniques on the same skill level as one of their most prized shinobi was a fearful thought.

"You say that this was a mind control technique similar to a human puppet, would I be wrong in assuming that the person controlling the jutsu would have to be nearby to control it?" Naruto questioned as he began thinking back to that odd presence he had felt.

The doctor scratched his nose and addressed the council once more, "Theoretically yes, however the sealing work that we have shows a high mastery of the technique. The person behind this could be miles away from the village."

Naruto snorted and got up to leave, "Heh that's exactly what they want us to think. Have a platoon of ANBU on standby."

"Sir?" The medic questioned.

"Don't worry about me i'll get to the bottom of this and have everything cleared up in time for breakfast."

And with that the Fifth Hokage of Konoha disappeared in a Shushin his haori blowing behind him majestically.

**-Break-**

Night time Konoha was a stark contrast to the busy evenings that the village experienced. The moon hung high in the sky and Naruto clenched his robes tighter on his person as a breeze whipped through the village.

All over the village was the quiet lull of night. Not many people roamed the streets as opposed to the early morning and evening rush of traffic and business. He sat atop the head of his father admiring the village that had become his.

He reflected on the last few months and how much everything in his life had been changing so quickly.

"Heh what a perfect night to die." Naruto whispered to himself.

"Yes, perfect indeed." A voice said from directly behind Naruto.

Naruto didn't flinch at the unknown voice instead a small smile crossed his face as he turned to face the mastermind behind his failed assassination.

Naruto hid his surprise as he turned and got a good look at the intruder to his home. "I have to say I didn't expect you to be a girl."

The girl in question crossed her arms under her bust and tilted her head to the side before she snorted, "Yeah well I didn't expect you to be so short."

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at the response of the girl. He had to admit to himself that the girl that stood before him was very beautiful. Her hair blew behind her one side of it perfectly straight while the other side was in a crazy spiky fashion much like his own hair.

"So are you going to spend the whole night admiring my looks or will I have to initiate combat with you." The girl said her patience finally running out.

Naruto ignored her and turned around to stare at the village once more. His hands were relaxed in his pocket and he seemed in a perfect state of calm.

"Ah I get it you're waiting for your little squad of guard dogs to come back you up." The girl accused.

Naruto laughed a harsh chuckle as he set his eyes back on the enemy. His once ocean blue eyes were hard and steely and his chakra began to fluctuate around him creating a deep crater in the ground. "Quite the opposite I was making sure that their were no citizens in the near vicinity."

The girl took a hesitant step back as Naruto turned his cold eyes on her his look reminded of her of a hungry fox chasing its prey.

She didn't get a chance to react as Naruto slammed into her knocking the wind out of her lungs. She scrambled backwards dodging out of the way of Naruto's flurry of fist, her hands lit up green and she spun on her heel to pivot out of Naruto's reach before she completed the spin and struck out at Naruto's back.

Naruto turned to dodge the glowing palm but was still hit in the shoulder, he cursed aloud as he lost feeling in that arm and jumped back to plan a strategy.

The girl sensed the multiple chakra senses of the ANBU and threw a smoke bomb on the ground. The area was filled with smoke and Naruto put up a hasty defense in case the girl went for him. Her laugh filled the night air and Naruto turned towards her voice as she spoke, "Beware Naruto Uzumaki the clan that your mother hailed from is back and we want vengeance for your villages treachery. We will annihilate every Hidden Village on the map, starting with Konoha. Sleep well tonight prince because the Uzumaki are coming and we will set Konoha ablaze."

Naruto cursed as the smoke lifted the presence of the girl completely gone. On the wind he heard the name of his enemy whispered softly.

**-Break-**

Naruto stood in his office looking out the window down at the villagers with his advisors all seated around his desk.

"Dragon I name you Hokage in my steed until my return," Naruto began as he placed his hat on Dragons lap.

Dragon shook his head and placed the hat back on the table, "With all do respect sir i'm not the one fitted for this job."

Naruto sighed and scratched his head in frustration as he tried to think of another candidate.

"Why not Shikaku he is the chief of intelligence and he has a sound knowledge of what it means to be a leader." Shizune spoke up.

Shikaku shot a glare in Shizune's direction before he slouched even more and his chair and accepted the Hokage hat.

Naruto nodded at the decision and paced around the room, "Now that we have a replacement Hokage I can go on my little Pokemon adventure to this land of whirlpools and see what I can find out about these impostors pretending to be my dead clansmen."

Naruto raised his hand to cut off Dragons compliant of how dangerous and stupid his plan was.

"At the very least let me go with you Hokage-sama." Dragon said standing up.

Naruto shook his head again he already had a team in mind who where hopefully getting ready at this time for a mission that they might not return from.

Naruto dismissed them from his office and sat back down to sign some more paperwork before he left on his first mission as Hokage.

He went home and got decked out in his shinobi gear he had to stop at one place before he left the village for what might be the last time.

Ino sat in her room humming a tune to herself and combing her hair. Life had been good to her these last few months; her team was increasingly becoming stronger, her friendship with Sakura was being patched, and if rumors were anything to go by she was being courted by her childhood friend the Hokage himself.

A lot had changed since Naruto had come into office and she had noticed the changes as she walked around the village during errands for her sensei or parents. People in the village seemed to be happier and more livelier than previous times, she had walked past the academy and was shocked to see a third year racing through hand signs for a C-ranked jutsu.

Naruto snuck up behind the preoccupied Ino and pecked her on the cheek, "Hi!" Naruto said announcing his presence to the daydreaming Yamanaka.

Ino grinned as she turned around and stared up at the the blonde Hokage. Her small quickly turned into a frown as she noticed the gear Naruto was wearing and her immediately sped up in a frantic way. "No way. Nope there's no way in hell i'm letting you go out to battle. You have a village to run what are you thinking?"

Naruto looked down guiltily and sat down across from the blonde haired girl that he cared about so much. "That's not fair and you know it I have to sit there and watch you go off on missions everyday."

Ino crossed her arms over her chest and assessed Naruto's attire, "Yea but you don't look like you're going on a simple escort mission. You look like you're going to war, tell me whats going on."

"I can't tell you." Naruto shook his head and turned to kiss Ino one last time before he left her home.

Ino touched her lips where the feel of Naruto still was and let one tear fall down her face. For some reason the look on Naruto's face had reminded her of the last time she had seen her brother before he had went off to war and never returned. She choked on a sob as she prayed for Naruto's safety, as she turned to wipe her eyes she noticed that her mirror had cracked.

**-Break-**

Naruto, Sasuke now code-named Dove, two ANBU, and Hayate began the long trek to Uzushiogakure. Along the way Naruto took the opportunity to catch up with his old teammate and to see how he was doing.

Sasuke hopped in the trees beside Naruto his senses stretched to the max to sense any foreign ninja sneaking up on the small band of shinobi. The raven haired Uchiha had changed a lot since he first joined ANBU. His face was covered with a mask of a dove and his shirt that once proudly displayed him as a Uchiha was replaced by the uniform of the ANBU. Through his slit holes you could see a fully matured Sharingan staring out at the world.

Sasuke had his sword strapped across his back horizontally with the hilt poking over his shoulder for easy reach. He no longer wore a headband or anything for that matter that could link him back to Konoha.

"Oi Sasuke what you thinking about up there." Naruto called out to the boy tree hoping next to him.

Sasuke grunted in a Sasuke like fashion and continued onward his hands stuffed in his pockets and his body slouched forward.

Naruto didn't seem to care about Sasuke's apparent disrespect of his leader in fact he relished in it he was tiring of Hokage-sama this Hokage-sama that. That was one of the things Naruto was realizing that he missed about his old life.

They arrived on the coast a wave rather shortly and quickly located the nearest boat that would take them to the land of Whirlpools.

Naruto didn't know what awaited him on those islands that had been unpopulated since the destruction of his clan during the Second Great War. All he knew is that the closer he got the more the feeling of dread in his stomach got worse.

**-Break-**

Back in Konoha with the departure of their Hokage the council had once again struck up the debate on what to do with Suna's proposal. In light of what had happened recently with the intruders the council was swayed to the decision of accepting the proposal for the benefit of the village. Konoha would need all the allies should could get in preparation for the upcoming war that was doomed to be coming.

The treaty would be the foundation to what would be needed to make sure that Konoha would be able to survive and send a message to all who thought of harming the village.

With the proposal stamped Shikaku sent it off via messenger bird back to Suna, he knew these upcoming months would make or break the tide of the war in one favor. He prayed to Kami as he watched the bird fly away that god would be on their side.

**-Break-**

Naruto stepped off the boat onto the island where his mother originated from, he inhaled the salty sea air. Him and his crew walked further onto the island their senses on max for an ambush. His guards stood around him in a diamond formation protecting from threats on all sides. They walked a few more miles before Naruto signaled for a halt.

The familiar presence was getting stronger and stronger in this area. His surroundings shimmered out of existence and Naruto looked around him in surprise as the once jungle they were walking through dissolved into a magnificent village filled with people.

Sasuke felt their presence first and was quick to pull out his blade and claim first blood. Naruto pivoted out of the way of a punch and disintegrated his attacker with a one handed rasengan. More and more shinobi surrounded the small group and soon his ANBU guards lay on their ground their throats cut clean open. Naruto jumped back and fired off a blast of wind that mixed with Sasukes fireball and burned the approaching shinobi.

He felt her again as he turned to block an attempt at his life. She stood at the back of shinobi nonchalantly cleaning the dirt from under her nails. She looked up as she felt his eyes on her and smiled an evil smirk, he ducked the poor attempt at an overhead swing and ended the boys life before his blade even reached him.

Hayate coughed up blood and rushed back into battle his eyes were hard with years of being a shinobi and he danced in between his opponents in a beautiful display of swordsmanship. Bodies piled up around him and soon the group of twenty strong that had come to kill them lay dead or dying.

Naruto took a step forward towards the red haired girl and spit at her feet angry at the unnecessary blood that had been shed.

She laughed harshly and took a step forward, "You're quite strong prince as expected of course, I mean you are an Uzumaki."

"Take me to your leader so that I may talk with him." Naruto gritted out his anger spiking.

She swept her arms out towards the village and beckoned him to follow her lead. "Of course my prince."

The massive castle Naruto found himself in made the Hokages office look like a wooden cabin in comparison. Him and his smaller group were lead through the many rooms until they finally came to the throne room of the castle. Seated atop the throne was a old frail man with bleach white hair and unseeing eyes, He stared in the direction of the group as they entered the room and rose to his feet wobbly.

"Is that him?" The old man questioned as he reached out a hand to touch Naruto's shoulder.

The mysterious girl took a step back to let her leader step forward and touch his grandson for the first time,

Naruto shrugged the old mans hand off him and fixed him with a glare. "Don't touch me you have slaughtered the people of my village and you prance around wearing the name of my dead clan."

The old man chuckled a deep rumbling laugh and sat back on his throne. "Is that what Konoha told you? That the Uzumaki were dead, boy look around you at the village the Uzumaki are far from dead."

Naruto raised an eyebrow in confusion, "What do you mean the Uzumaki aren't dead? Everyone knows that the Uzumaki were destroyed during The Second Great Shinobi War."

"Defeated and dwindled down we may be, however the Uzumaki still live on. Though far from the numbers we boasted before that treacherous war we are still as capable as ever." The old man said.

Naruto shook his head he couldn't believe what the old man was saying there was no way that his clan still lived and were even thriving. His confusion quickly turned into anger and he pointed a finger at the man on the throne, "Where the hell were you when I needed you after I lost my mother and father the day I was born? Where was my "clan" when i needed them the most huh?"

"Yes, I admit we were not there in your time of need young prince, but that is why you stand before me now i'm here to give you what was taken from you."

"And what would that be?" Naruto questioned. He didn't believe this old man in the slightest there was no way the Uzumaki survived the onslaught of three major villages.

"The entire world of course." The old man said as he walked out of the room. "Lock up the other two they are not needed."

"Like hell you old coot." Naruto said as guards tried to apprehend Sasuke and Hayate.

The girl smirked at Naruto as he tried to move and found his feet stuck to the floor by way of a paralysis seal. "You don't understand my young prince you will fight for the Uzumaki whether you want to or not."

Those were the last words Naruto heard before all he knew was darkness. Before all the light faded from the world his last thought was of home and Ino.

**A/n: This chapter was pretty sloppy sorry guys I don't know what to say, however shit is bout to hit the fan guys these next couple chapters will introduce the first arc of this story hope you guys are ready. The next chapter or two should clear up the pairings all i'm going to say is everyone that shouted for a harem Wonnered so yea.**

**Recommendation Thingy: Naruto: Potential Realized by Iron Monkey Fist.**


	8. Chapter 8: This Means War

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did I would be rolling in money right now.**

**Becoming a Legend**

**Chapter 8: This Means War**

_Since we cannot change reality let us change the eyes which see reality. - Nikos Kazantzakis_

**Weeks Later**

Naruto strolled leisurely through his mother's homeland off the coast of the land of fire, he had learned a lot since his brief stay here. The Uzumaki were a weird group of people with varying personalities and habits, but Naruto had to admit that all of them had one thing in common; the famous Uzumaki temper.

"Hey watch where you walking you jackass," A red-haired man screamed brandishing a sword at the man who had stumbled into him obviously drunk.

The drunk man turned towards the red-haired man before he pointed at himself, "Arshe yowws takshing to me?"

"Well I don't seen any other drunken fool standing in the middle of the street."

That comment ignited a fiery passion inside of the drunken man and he quickly pounced on the unsuspecting man with a flurry of punches, which in his drunken state were surprisingly accurate.

As the drunk man landed powerful blow after blow on the poor man Naruto sighed and shook his head, this was sadly a common occurrence in the streets of Uzushiogakure and many people ignored the two men brawling in the streets. Naruto continued his stroll stopping now and then to admire the many sights and shops of the small village.

After he had woken up from his meeting with his 'grandfather', the leader of the Uzumaki, Naruto had been treated unsurprisingly like the royalty he was. He slept in the large castle overlooking the village below, he ate in the finest restaurants, and everywhere he went people bowed in the streets and proclaimed their love for their long lost prince.

Naruto however hated all of it he knew that most of it was just a facade to get him to stay here and lead these people on a path to rid the world of all the hidden villages. Surprisingly he was left to roam freely, he could go as he pleased and he took every opportunity to examine every nook and cranny of the village.

Though he had memorized the villages basic outline he still couldn't find a way to get off the island that didn't involve him having to swim for three days straight to get to Wave. The boat bringing news and supplies to the village only came once every month and wasn't do for another three weeks. He couldn't afford to be held up here any longer he had to take the information he had managed to gather about the village and get it to Konoha.

Though he was granted many things the whereabouts of Sasuke and the rest of his team had not been giving to him. He shuddered at the thought that they might be in serious harm or worse. There was only one way he was getting off this island and he dreaded the consequences that his actions would cause, however this was the only way he to get back home. He would have to contact the only person that could help.

Naruto crossed the gaping bridge that connected the mainland to the castle that housed the royalty of the Uzumaki. Upon reaching the castle he took the steps of the great castle two at a time in a rush to get to the privacy of his room. His room was befitting of his stature among the Uzumaki and showed off the great wealth that the Uzumaki once had before their destruction.

During his stay he had been filled in on exactly why the Uzumaki hated the hidden village so much in particular Konoha, one of their long lasting allies. He thought back to what his grandfather had been teaching him these last few weeks, which admittedly caused him to question his goals and the leadership of Konoha. While most of Kumo, Iwa, and minor villages shinobi were off to war with Konoha an elite team that were made up of shinobi from varying villages led an organized attack on one of Konoha's most dangerous ally, the Uzumaki. Famed for their longevity, kenjutsu skills. and work with seals they were juggernauts on the battlefield and were rightfully feared by their enemies.

Surprisingly when the elite group of ninja numbering in the thousands banged on the gates of Uzushiogakure they were batted away and were forced to retreat lest they be destroyed by the might of the Uzumaki. Konoha seeing their allies so strongly defeating such a large group of enemies became emboldened and began a series of risky and devastating attacks on Iwa and Kumo. These attacks led them deep into enemy territory far from home and even farther from their allies who had helped them turn the tides of the war.

It came as a shock to the Konoha shinobi that as the further they went into enemy territory the less activity and fighting they were met with. By the time that alarm bells had begun to ring it was too late, with Konoha far from Uzushiogakure the second attempt on the Uzumaki was successful and the history books wrote of their destruction of one of the mightiest nations during that time.

However Uzushiogakure was far from destroyed. Their sealing skills were unrivaled and with the combined effort of their elite seal masters they were able to safely evacuate the majority of the villagers and place a genjutsu over the surrounding area. Though the original Uzushiogakure was partially destroyed that day their legacy survived and that was all that was needed. After narrowly surviving the combined attack Uzushiogakure seeked out the help of Konoha in the hopes that their long lasting friends would help them get back on their feet. Konoha believing that in their current state the Uzumaki were useless turned their backs on them in their moment of need. In the eyes of the Uzumaki that was the day that Konoha had sealed the fate of their village and that of every Hidden Village in existence, they would all pay for turning their backs on the Uzumaki and seeking to destroy them they would pay with blood. The Uzumaki never forget the Uzumaki will repay what had been lost ten-fold.

His family had been targeted and hunted down like wild animals and when they were bleeding from their wounds they were turned away by the people that they had helped rise to power. Still Naruto couldn't take the Uzumaki's word for it and he had to figure out the other side of the story, there had to be a valid reason for Konoha's betrayal.

He went through the hand signs for the jutsu that had made his deceased sensei so famous.

_Summoning Jutsu: Messenger Toad_

The resulting poof of smoke brought back fond memories of his short time training with the pervy sage Jiraiya of the sannin. The small toad cocked its head to the side and measured the blonde boy in front of him.

Naruto glanced at the small toad and gestured toward the rolled up scroll he had used to write his message. The toad picked up the scroll and with the help of Naruto secured it on his persons before it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto's plan to escape had begun and now it was time for him to do his part. He sat cross legged and seeked out the source that had caused his life hell.

* * *

Sasuke glanced at the tattoo on the back of his hand that marked him as one of the Hoshi Shīrā it glowed a dark blue color for a second before it disappeared into his skin. Shortly after he had been knocked out by the guards in the throne room Sasuke had been rudely woken up and forced to walk till he was in a large room which he presumed was a training room if the various dummies and equipment scattered around the room were anything to go by.

Weirdly placed at one end of the training facility was a large table with eleven seats, five of which faced him the other five the wall and the final chair sat at the head of the table overlooking all of the others. Sasuke still confused as to why he was there raised a questioning brow towards his captor. His mask that labeled him as Anbu had been removed and Sasuke felt a bit detached without it. The guard ignored Sasuke's questioning look and instead stood still as if waiting for something.

They didn't have to wait for long as each chair began to fill up as people entered the room one by one. Each seat filled up except two, the one at the head of the table and the one to the right of it. Sasuke took the opportunity to scan each person with his sharingan gauging how much of a threat they were. Each of them were dressed in the same Uzumaki robes and armour that he had seen being worn by the Uzumaki leader; a typical long sleeved black shirt emblazoned with the crest of the Uzumaki adnored on the shoulder, long sleeved blue shinobi pants with kunai pouch, red armor resembling that of the armor worn by Hashirama Senju, and black combat boots tied up their look. All of them had a sword or in some cases two or three on their persons in varying places. All in all they all looked like quite a fearsome bunch and he had to control himself from trembling at the chakra pressure they all seemed to unnoticable release.

Though they were all dressed the same Sasuke could tell they each had varying personalities and differing strengths. The table in front of where they sat had a number engraved in the table that corresponded with where they were positioned, number one was seated to the right of the head chair and to the right of that was two and and so forth.

The last member of the group arrived at the table and took her seat at the head of the table. With an air of royalty and grace Karin Uzumaki place her laced up combat boots on the table in front of her and gazed at the Uchiha on the floor before her.

"So you're the famed Uchiha brat that has been causing so much havoc since joining Anbu what a joke." She said obviously displeased with Sasuke's abilities.

The great Uchiha pride reared its ugly head and Sasuke's temper snapped, "Tch of course some Uzumaki bitch wouldn't understand true power when she saw it."

Before the last word had left his mouth Karin's katana was leveled at his neck her eyes staring into his her other hand raised to perform one handed ninjutsu.

"Oi thats enough Karin Lord Uzumaki most have a pretty good reason for wanting the Uchiha boy to join us." A young girl said from her position at the sixth seat. She had long red hair with set violet eyes that peered out at the world with a childlike curiosity.

Karin turned her gaze towards the younger girl and snorted, "You're too soft hearted Honoka this filth is an Uchiha from Konoha. Why should I grace him with joining my team."

"Because I asked you to." Came a deep rumbling voice as the head of the Uzumaki clan filed into the room his robes flowing behind him.

At once all the Uzumaki in the room kneeled on the floor bowing to their lord their right hand placed over their heart and their left on the hilt of their chosen weapon.

"At ease my children no need for such formalities." The Lord of the Uzumaki spoke with a soothing tone as the Hoshi shīrā seated themselves around the table once again.

Karin took a step towards her leader before she dropped to her knees and hung her head in shame, "I meant no disrespect when I questioned your addition of the _Uchiha_ into our secret elite group."

The leader of the Uzumaki merely smiled down at the younger girl and ruffled her hair, "Sit my child we have much to discuss." He gestured for Sasuke to stand before him. "Kneel before me Sasuke Uchiha." The man ordered.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and spit to the right of the old man, "I have sworn my allegiance to Konoha I will not kneel before you."

"Oh you are a brave young man aren't you? Have you forgotten all Konoha has done to your clan already boy? They turned their backs on your clan had them killed in the streets like rabid dogs. They turned your caring older brother into a monster. Now I ask you is that really a village you want to serve?"

Sasuke took a second to analyze the man's words. He had sworn an oath when he joined Anbu. He clenched his hands at his side as his emotions whirled, since joining Anbu he had managed to connect with the people in the squad he led. He was finally starting to figure out why his brother loved Konoha so much.

On the other hand his anger still boiled as he remembered the document filed with the mission order for the assassination of his clan. No matter what he decided in the long run he knew that here and now his destiny was to be tied to the Uzumaki.

He would learn from them and he would do what he was told for now, but underneath that lay what little pride he still had for his home.

Sasuke's sharingan spun in a hypnotizing way as he destroyed the Anbu mask in his captors possession. He smirked and took his seat as second in command.

"Konoha will fall under the might of the Hoshi Shīrā! "

* * *

Itachi Uchiha hadn't expected to be contacted by the village he once called home after he was issued one last mission as Anbu captain. The small message in his hand though came as quite a shock and Itachi didn't know what to make of this rather rushed handwriting. The message itself was brief and lacking in details, but the familiar stamp of the Hokage was valid proof of its authenticity.

Akatsuki's spy network had informed them of the recent death of the Third Hokage and the addition of a new Hokage one who was said to be paving the road for a brighter Konoha. Itachi couldn't think of anyone who could possibly be Hokage material besides maybe Kakashi, however he personally knew the man wasn't cut out for the role especially after he had left him comatose.

Itachi sighed and looked back at his sleeping partner that lay sprawled on the forest floor by the campfire. They had just completed a mission for the leader of Akatsuki and were on their way back to Ame. Him and Kisame had grown close during their many missions together, however Itachi was loyal to Konoha before everything else and so with a heavy heart just like all those years ago Itachi prepared himself to end another life in the name of the village he loved.

His kunai didn't make it as far as he would have wished, then again it was expected when one tried to assassinate Kisame Hoshigaki, the tailless bijuu. Kisame grabbed the offending kunai and crushed it with one of his massive hands, his right hook sailed through the air seeking Itachi's face. Itachi jumped back quickly and had to flip out of the way of Kisame's water clone who had launched a devastating overhead attack with Samehada.

"Heh… finally decided to show your true colors eh Itachi?" Kisame mocked as he stood up and brandished his large blade.

Itachi didn't grace him with a reply and instead activated his sharingan in hopes of snaring Kisame in a genjutsu.

Kisame shrugged the genjutsu off and glared at the eldest Uchiha, "Fine don't say anything i'll tear you limb from limb for backstabbing us Itachi.

With those last words uttered between the once comrades they took off towards each other both seeking to end the others life. Itachi's short tanto stood up to the pressure of Kisame's blade for a brief second before Kisame's blade came crashing through his guard cutting deep.

The clone poofed out of existence and Kisame scanned the forest for his once friend.

_Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique _

The ball of fire came screeching towards Kisame who merely raised Samehada and defense. Kisame let his blade drink up the chakra from Itachi's jutsu as he began to plan for a counterattack.

Itachi dashed forward and sent a right hook at Kisame's face, the taller man leaned backwards and let the blow sail pass. He grabbed Itachi's arm and with a sickening crunch broke it directly where the joints connected the elbow.

Itachi jumped back cradling his now broken arm, pain laced up and down his arm and only years of service in Anbu kept him from screaming out in pain. He couldn't face Kisame in taijutsu and using any form of ninjutsu was out of the picture so long as Kisame had Samehada on him. Itachi closed his eyes and focused chakra to his left eye. Once he had enough pressure built up he opened his left eye and focused on Kisame.

_Amaterasu _

The black flames rushed at Kisame hoping to consume him in a fiery explosion. Kisame jumped back and placed Samehada in front of him in an effort to block the malevolent flames. Samehada howled as the flames touched it and Kisame had to drop it or face his hand being burned.

Itachi smirked as Kisame let the blade dropped he had him exactly where he wanted him now.

_Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique _

Kisame's world wavered out and he found himself bound and shackled to the floor as Itachi appeared in front of him.

"If it means anything the friendship we shared wasn't fake." Itachi muttered before the torture began.

Outside of the genjutsu Itachi drove his kunai into the base of Kisame's neck and ended his life. He took the ring off Kisame's finger and pocketed it before he looked up at the rising sun, he had a long ways to go if he hoped to reach Uzushiogakure by nightfall.

* * *

Naruto concentrated on the feel of the dark chakra that was associated with the Kyuubi and searched for it. He could feel it the most pulsing beneath the seal on his belly and he dove deeper into his subconscious. Seeking out the Kyuubi wasn't on his top ten things that he would love to do, however the Kyuubi was a crucial part to him escaping the island and getting back home as quickly as possible.

Finally Naruto was able to pinpoint the exact location of the malevolent chakra that lay dormant and him. He surged forward towards it and entered into the sewer like carvan that represented his mindscape.

The Kyuubi grinned an evil smile as his host entered the room where he was imprisoned shackled behind bars.

"**Well if it isn't my all powerful host in the flesh. I hope you can excuse how much of a mess my prison is but I haven't had much time to clean."**

Naruto sighed and folded his arms as he stared at the great fox that had ruined his life from the beginning. He hated the fox with all the fiber in his being, but he knew that his father entrusted him with the fox so that he would be able to protect Konoha and all that he held dear.

The Kyuubi was right. his mindscape had become a lot dirtier in the last months since his last visit; the pristine gold bars were rusting, the tiled floor was cracked in many places, the pipelines zigzagged all around the place and half of them were rusted and leaking water onto the floor.

"Look you know why i'm here and unlike last time i'm not leaving until we come to a compromise." Naruto declared fed up with the Kyuubi's constant nightmares and his whispers that were starting to cause him to doubt himself.

The Kyuubi folded its paws and placed its massive head by the gate before he snorted. "**We've had this talk before boy there is nothing that you can give me that will make me even consider being buddy buddy with you."**

"Yea I heard you last time, however unlike last time I actually have exactly what you want, your freedom." Naruto said as he sat on the floor of the sewer that was his mindscape.

The Kyuubi stood up anger flashing in its eyes, "**Don't insult me brat your father hid the key to this cage before he died. There is no way that you have found it and even if you did you couldn't possibly know how to use it."**

"Oh.. ye of such little faith." Naruto said pretending to clutch at his heart and play wounded. "Look you stupid fox my dad put you in me for a reason. He did it so that I would have the power to defend all of the stuff that he once loved. I'm not going to let my father's legacy die out just because my crazy relatives are hell-bent on ruling the world." He pointed at the sewer they sat in. "Do you really like living in this dump or do you want to roam free again? Feel the wind in your fur?" Naruto said gesturing around wildly at the messy sewer.

"**And what would you have me do in return for my freedom?" **Kyuubi asked as he stared down at his young host.

Naruto's eyes glowed red briefly before he gazed up at the Kyuubi, "Help me destroy any enemy that stands in the path of Konoha's peace.

The Kyuubi looked into the eyes of the boy before him and saw all the hatred that lurked below the surface he saw all the pain there too, he smiled wolfishly he would devour the enemies of Naruto Uzumaki and in return his freedom would be guaranteed.

Naruto knew that he had to grow up he was a kid anymore he wasn't going to be cuddled. The real world hurt and if he had any chance of surviving it his best bet would be to run straight at life with chakra of the greatest tail beast in existence.

"**Boy you sure you know what you're getting into. Once you set me free there is no going back and you may very well die in the process."** Kyuubi warned Naruto.

Naruto didn't flinch or look scared like the Kyuubi expected instead he merely smiled sadly. "If that is the cost to ensure the safety of my people. I would cut out my own heart for them."

The Kyuubi looked at the boy in mild shock and bewilderment. For the first time since he first= gazed into the eyes of the most powerful man in the world, the sage of sixth paths, the Kyuubi felt respect for a human.

This boy whose eyes were haunted with pain and lost were the eyes that would shape this world. The Kyuubi could see it now those were the eyes of a man who would not be turned away by the trials of life. Instead he would push past his barriers and shoot for the stars that lay beyond.

"**Maybe there still is something worth fighting for in this miserable world." **The Kyuubi whispered to himself before he closed his massive eyes and let his power surge into Naruto.

Naruto broke the connection between the two of them and stretched his limbs. He could feel the influence of the Kyuubi much clearer now, however this time he liked the feel of the malevolent chakra.

He stared at himself in the mirror and a evil grin plastered itself on his face. As he stared at his reflection golden chakra chains exploded out of his back and danced around him whipping at his command. He smashed the mirror with one of his chains, the reflection of his once blonde hair and cerulean blue eyes shattered and replaced with the new Naruto.

He chuckled darkly to himself he truly looked like a Uzumaki now more than ever how ironic that turned out to be.

* * *

Naruto walked into the throne room blood soaking his royal robes. The lifeless bodies of the guards lay at his feet and his blood flecked chains swung in tandem with his stride. His grandfather merely shifted on his throne as Naruto approached.

The throne room was a lot larger than his humble office back in Konoha. The white walls were littered with Uzumaki symbols the floor was made of stone and here and there were the marks of Uzumaki seal master.

His grandfather's throne was a simple piece made of gold, The high columns leading up the throne spiraled upward past the chandeliers for miles it seemed. Naruto however cared little for the beauty of the architect and instead focused his intense gaze on his grandfather.

Yoshiro Uzumaki gazed unseeingly at his grandson. His eyes though unseeing were able to sense the chakra leaking off of Naruto in great waves. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily he had wished for peace,

Naruto flexed his fingers ready for an all out ninjutsu fight against his grandfather. He had to buy as much time as possible for Itachi to get here. "Grandfather I wish for peace allow me to leave and go back to my village." Naruto said.

"As you wish my grandson I see that your eyes are still blinded to the atrocities that village has committed against you and everyone it has ever called an ally." Yoshiro called back his hands dismissing his only grandson.

Naruto blinked owlishly there was no way his grandfather would just let him leave after going through all the trouble of getting him here.

Yoshiro chuckled as he sensed the boys confusion. "You are confused as to my generosity?"

Naruto nodded his head before he smacked himself and answered, "Of course after you went through so much trouble to get me isolated so far from my village. I thought you would have me tortured and brainwashed to become a perfect diligent Uzumaki.

The leader of the Uzumaki sighed again and rubbed his weary head. "Have you learned nothing during your stay here?" He questioned Naruto. "Everyone that you see walking these streets are here because they chose this life they were all given the choice." Yoshiro stood and walked towards the changed Naruto. "I gave them all the same chance stay here within the walls of their homeland and fight for peace and equality. Or." Here his voice turned dark. "Face utter annihilation under the hands of the Uzumaki who were born with the fear of not surviving engraved in their hearts."

Naruto stared at his grandfather in shock. "You manipulated them. You gave them no real choice, what you did was give them an ultimatum live or die." Naruto accused his anger peaking.

Yoshiro chuckled at Naruto's reaction. "You have not be in this world nowhere near long enough to lecture me boy. How do you believe the five great villages came to power? Through playing nice and treating everyone with respect? Maybe they all got together and hosted games of Shogi while they talked about the weather?" Yoshiro mocked.

"I know that the villages were built on the blood of thousands of shinobi from every village. I'm not afraid to bleed for my village if that is what it takes." Naruto declared.

"Foolish boy. Those are the exact words your father used to spew, and if you ask me it's the same reason he was met with and early demise." The Uzumaki leader said his tone indifferent and uncaring.

"I'll kill you!" Naruto screamed his heart beating in his ears as his anger reached its peak.

His rasengan was inches away from his grandfather's face when he dropped to his knees all the oxygen suddenly gone from the room. Naruto clutched at his throat as the overbearing pressure of the strongest Uzumaki alive washed over him.

Yoshiro Uzumaki gazed into the kneeling form of his grandson and tripled the pressure he was releasing. "This is the power of a man who has braved and lived through the hardships of life. Grandson or not if you raise your hand to strike me again it will be the last time you ever do so. Do I make myself clear?"

Naruto wheezed on the floor of the throne room color already draining from his face. He let his anger wash over him like a protective blanket. With it came the power of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the unrivaled leader of the tailed beast.

Naruto's chilling gaze met the unseeing eyes of the Uzumaki clan leader. Without a warning the two lept at each other there fist flying through the air before crashing into one another's faces. They stood there for a second both absorbing the impact of each others blows before they disengaged.

Naruto nodded his head in understanding and begrudging respect. He had been able to link himself to his grandfather for that brief period of time.

"So that is truly your dream grandfather?" Naruto questioned as he let the power of the Kyuubi die down.

The old man nodded his head and retired to his throne. "Yes my boy my dream is to change the reality of the world because the world we live in now is unjust and impure."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Naruto asked trying to buy as much time as possible he could feel the presence of the elite guard just a few rooms down.

His grandfather closed his eyes and appeared to go to sleep, however Naruto could feel the build up of chakra centering around his grandfather's eyes. Yoshiro opened his eyes and for the first time in his sixty-five years of life he peered out at the world around him.

Naruto gazed at his grandfather unflinchingly he felt as if this wouldn't be the last time he would get the chance to gaze into the eyes of God. With his stare down done Naruto turned his back on that last link to his family. Itachi's arrival couldn't have come any sooner and with a quick look over of Itachi's disheveled and bloodied appearance Naruto led Itachi to the docks where he would, with the help of Itachi, escape the island that had raised his mother.

* * *

The sun shined brightly during Naruto's and Itachi's return to the village they both loved. the clouds passed quickly overhead as they lept the lumbering trees of the land of fire.

"Itachi I hope you know that you will face the hate of the entirety of the village upon your return. That sadly will be up to you to cope with." Naruto said as he and Itachi began to approach the lumbering gates of Konoha.

Itachi snapped out of his musings and gazed over at his Hokage. He still couldn't believe that the little blonde kid he used to babysit during his earlier years in Anbu had risen to the highest position in the village.

"Ay i'm aware of what I must face upon my return, however I have always known my fate as a traitor to the village that I always will love." Itachi announced a solemn look on his face.

Naruto knew the villagers would not be that understanding of Itachi even when he leaked the details of that night. He also knew that Danzo would be highly upset with his decision to return Itachi to the village.

He had to cut his thoughts short as he walked through the gates of his home for the first time in a weeks. Naruto took a second to breath in the air of his village and he couldn't help the small smile from developing on his face. It was good to be home.

* * *

**Council Room**

"And how do you plan on explaining your red hair and slitted eyes to the villagers that don't know your little secret?" Shizune asked one hand on her hip as usual.

Naruto let loose a sigh. After returning and the initial shock of him just walking straight through the gates after no sign of him in a long time he had sat down Shizune, Danzo, Itachi, Dragon, and Shikaku and explained his little trip to his homeland.

Needless to say that hadn't taken the news that the immediate hysteria of a potential war breaking out with Uzushiogakure Naruto had to bring everyone back to the bigger picture of how they were going to ensure the safety of the village and its inhabitants.

Dragon stood in the shadows of the room a grim look on his face. He had seen his fair share of scary things during his time as a Chunin and Jounin and later as Anbu captain, however the prospect of a war was an entire different ball game. He would willingly die for his village that was not what he feared, but he knew what came with war all too well he had experienced it himself.

He gazed at his Hokages bloodshot eyes and bags and noted all the symptoms. The boy was too young and the pressure was getting too him. This is what war brought to the doorstep of all villages more than the death of those that died before their time. The prospect of raising child soldiers and sending them off to battle even if they were well experienced is what created monsters like Itachi and Orochimaru. Child soldiers who break under the harsh disciple of the ninja life.

Despite all of his thoughts on the matter he knew what had to happen for the village to survive. "As reigning Anbu captain I will extend myself to opening up Act 18 under the Subsection of War Time Measurements." Dragon spoke up.

Naruto looked up from his work to reply, however as the words were about to leave his mouth a messenger from the gate ran into the room and kneeled.

"Sir I bring news from the gate." Naruto urged the young man to continue. "A group bearing the insignia of Suna have arrived at the gates. With them appears to be the daughter of the Fourth Kazekage herself, Temari of the sand." The boy said not stopping for breath.

"Shit." Naruto said from his place behind his desk he was not ready to deal with this bullshit so soon after his return.

He dismissed his small council before he straightened his attire and addressed the messenger. "Escort her entourage to the hotels reserved for our special guest and send her directly to me. Make sure that no harm is to befall any of them. Do I make myself clear?" Naruto ordered.

The young boy sweated under his leaders intense gaze. "Yes sir!"

Naruto folded his hands on his desk and nodded in approval. "Dismissed."

* * *

**A/N: Hi I'm not dead. Uh here's Chapter 8 I guess there's a lot of character development and changes in this chapter. Forewarning Naruto will act a bit differently from now on; he will be more mature and a little be cruel. I tried my best to convey his change during his talk with Kyuubi. So tell me how that went, and like always please review if you enjoyed and even if you didn't tell me what you didn't enjoy. Cya! This is Asura signing off. **

**Recommended thingy: League of Legends. Best MOBA out right now. If you do play my IGN is Darshan Spartan I play on NA servers. **


	9. Chapter 9: The Healer

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did I would be rolling in money right now.**

**Becoming a Legend**

**Chapter 9: The Healer**

_Power without a nation's confidence is nothing. - Catherine the Great _

Naruto Uzumaki sat behind his desk and regarding the foreign woman fidgeting in his office. He let his gaze wander over her, taking in every detail of her body, every bump in her uniform that hinted at a hidden weapon. He had to admit to himself Temari had grown into a beautiful women since he had last seen her.

Her blonde hair, in its usual four ponytail style, was longer and less spiky, her headband was on her forehead covered by two bangs framed right above her teal eyes. She was clearly nervous, and as he took another second to gather his thoughts she fidgeted around with the large battle fan on her back.

Naruto wasn't quite used to being the one in control, however presented with his newfound power he couldn't help but to use the girl in front of him to his advantage. "I would assume we have much to talk about. It would make this a lot easier if you sat instead of fidgeting every few seconds." Naruto said gesturing to the empty chair in front of his desk.

Temari had the decency to blush after she was found out for her timid nature. This new Naruto that was sitting before her, Hokage robes in all, shocked her. The last time Temari had laid eyes on Naruto Uzumaki he was a small runt of a kid in a hideous jumpsuit.

That Naruto definitely didn't have red hair and slitted pupils, however the most shocking change was his attitude. She could feel it in the air around her, this man in front of her had an air of complete confidence and leadership. So great was this change that she had begun to unconsciously revert to her timid, shy younger self.

"Thank you for inviting me to your village Lord Hokage." Temari bowed in the customary way befitting one who was addressing someone of higher ranking.

Naruto raised a single brow at Temari's curtsy and sighed, "Temari do not pretend to fool me with false pleasantries and greetings. We both know why you are here and how important this meeting is to the wellbeing of your village."

Temari stared a little harder at this new, calculated Naruto. There was no plausible way to explain the abrupt change between this man before her and the boy he was mere months ago. Temari wasn't one to back down from a challenge, her father had instilled the rules of politics in her from a young age. Naruto was treading on very dangerous water by calling her bluff, which meant that he either knew of Suna's ultimate goal, or he simply didn't care for their treaty and would act against it.

"As if I would foolishly lead my village into another war so soon after rebuilding from our latest battles." Naruto mocked as if reading her thoughts.

"Well if you are legitimately considering the marriage proposal why bring me to your office? Should your focus not be geared towards the Suna representatives with finalizing the treaty." Temari questioned her curiosity beating her veiled use of politics.

Naruto stood, his feet making little noise as he moved to the front of his desk to get closer to Temari. "You misunderstand my invitation to you and your people. I have brought you here Temari because you have something that I need." Naruto pulled a scroll out of his pocket and gave it to Temari. "Your village has less than half of their ninja force currently stationed at home, however given enough time and luck those numbers would soon even out as ninjas return from missions. Sunagakure is one of the strangest hidden villages, surrounded entirely by sand proves to be quite formidable at preventing sieges. In fact, Suna boasts of numerous wars it has come out victorious because of its use of the land around it. However, I happen to know that Suna doesn't have much of a certain something after the death of your Fourth Kage."

Temari's eyes widened as she connected the dots, "You wouldn't dare." She whispered fearing the answer.

Naruto turned his haunted eyes on her and smiled sadly. "For my village I would storm the gates of heaven and fight Kami itself."

Temari stared up at the man in front of her and let the tears fall unrestricted. Her bangs shadowed her face as she hunched over in her seat.

"Monster!" Temari's battle cry made it further than the kunai she had launched point blank at Naruto's face.

The kunai sailed past Naruto's face and into the far wall where it embedded into the hardwood. Naruto moved quickly grabbing Temari's wrist and forcing her onto the wall, he held her wrist above her head and forced her to look at him.

Temari gasped as Naruto's bigger hands trapped her on the wall, she refused to look up at him lest that be the last thing she see.

"Temari look at me!" Naruto growled, his frustration finally leaking out and drowning out any sense of reasoning.

Temari raised her head defiantly and stared at the monster that would harm her village if it benefited his own. What she saw in the eyes of the monster surprised her, instead of the steely slitted eyes of the demon he just was she saw the shimmering blue eyes of a boy who was trapped inside of himself.  
Naruto released her and ran a hand through his blood red hair, "Temari I truly did mean what I said earlier. I do not wish for a war with your village, however protecting this village and the people that I care about comes first."

"So what do you want from me then? It seems that you have the necessary power to take what you want from us regardless of our opinion on the matter." Temari huffed as she took her seat again.

"What do you know of the Nakatomi clan?" Naruto asked.

Temari's head snapped forward at the name and she narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Where did you hear that name?"

"So you do have information then?"

Temari fiddled with her hands for a second before she sighed deeply, "The Nakatomi clan was a clan of desert nomads during the Warring States Period. Known for their abilities in wind jutsu and puppeteering they were feared on the battlefield."

"But that isn't all is it Temari?"

"No, the Nakatomi clan was rumored to have "the sight" a rare gift that gave them the ability to predict the future."

"Much like the Uchiha clan's Sharingan correct?" Naruto questioned.

Temari shook with anger. These were secrets of her village that should not be shared, "Much worse."

Naruto looked over the map of Suna he had on hand and hovered over a particular part of the village. "Temari I need you to tell me everything you know about your mother's clan. Help me protect my village."

"Why are you doing this?" Temari asked tears streaming down her face. Her body shook with the anger she felt deep inside her.

Naruto knelt in front of Temari and took her hands, "I just want what is best for my village. In my position wouldn't you do the same?"

"What you are asking me to do goes against everything I was taught growing up. You ask me to betray my village. You ask me to put everyone I love at risk to help you." Temari screamed her anger getting the better of her.

"Im asking you to give your village the chance at surviving this coming war. By giving me this information I will have the power to protect your village and my own."

Temari shook her head in denial, "I don't believe you for one second. Why would you protect Suna after all we have done to your village."

"Because, I dream of a day where there exists no animosity between villages." Naruto said simply as if it was that easy.

Temari stared up at the man in front of her and noticed the unwavering determination in his eyes as he spoke of his dream. This was the eyes of a leader, and if anyone was going to bring peace to the shinobi world it would be him.

"Ok, i'll tell you everything I know."

* * *

Walking the halls of the Uchiha clan served to bring back the memories of that haunted night where he single-handedly brought an end to the Uchiha clan, his clan.

From a young age Itachi had begun to be groomed as the next clan head. It was a honor to be clan head something that Itachi had originally strived for. The treachery of his clan ran deep and he learned of his clan's schemes for the new clan head. He was expected, for the good of the clan, to take his little brother's eyes as his own.

His little brother Sasuke, who he truly did love, was a driving force for his return to the village he had loved in his youth.

Seeing the walls that were painted red that night made Itachi shudder in disgust. It wasn't disgust at his own actions, No, Itachi didn't regret killing his family, however it was disgust at the fact that he held no regret or guilt for his actions.

His mind wasn't truly his own anymore. After that night Itachi had been plagued with dreams of a rampaging Kyuubi and a man with a swirling sharingan cloaked in blackness.

Itachi's eyes were going bad a testament to his incurable illness that would certainly lead him to an early grave. Itachi didn't fear death, he only feared that he would not be able to set his brother on the right path to be able to protect the village that had raised the both of them.

The Naka Shrine hadn't changed much since the last time he kneeled in its halls seeking the answers to untold powers of the past.

His Mangekyō Sharingan winked into existence as he reached underneath the seventh tatami mat to the far right. He growled in frustration as he realized that even his mature Mangekyō couldn't fully decipher the stone that held all the secrets of the dojutsu famed around the world.

"I believe I can help you with that." Naruto spoke standing a respectful distance away.

Itachi turned his Mangekyō still activated, "Hokage-sama what are you doing here?"

"You need the Rinnegan to read the entire thing."

Itachi stepped back startled, the Rinnegan was believed to only be a myth. Itachi however, knew that they were very much real and extremely powerful. The eyes of god held untold powers that could create objects out of nothing, move mountains, and even bring the dead to life.

Naruto stepped closer and revealed his travel pack on his back. "Luckily for you I happen to know a rinnegan user. However, I need a favor from you."

Itachi nodded and lead the way back out of the Naka Shrine. After he was sure that the Naka Shrine was safely hidden he turned to his Kage.

"You placed my sensei, Kakashi, in a highly potent genjutsu that has left him rather incapacitated the last few months,"

"And you want me to heal him I presume?" Itachi asked.

"Not only that but there is a genin that has suffered very grievous wounds during the Chunin exam. I was wondering if you knew anyone with healing capabilities that were capable of performing a miracle?"

Itachi's surprise was carefully hidden. "You surprise me with your knowledge of things like this are you sure you were really the dead last of your class.?"

Naruto smirked cockily, "You're diverting off the topic tell me where she is I just want her to help the village. I swear no harm will befall her."

Itachi thought carefully if Naruto knew about her what else could he have knowledge of. His easygoing nature makes it compelling to automatically trust him. "What a terrifying power." Itachi finally spoke.

Naruto grinned dangerously showing of his sharpened canines, "I see those eyes are for more than show. Then you've noticed my new ability."

"Is this the power of the fox?" Itachi questioned.

"It's the result of our new deal that benefits the both of us. Given the power to compel people to do what I want is proving to be very beneficial."

Itachi shuddered at the implications of such power. To be able to bow people to your will even only a little could have truly outrageous capabilities.

"Itachi you're stalling."

Itachi shook himself out of his thoughts, "I truly don't know where she is now. The last time we spoke was almost a year ago. She could be anywhere in The Land of Fire, trust me if she doesn't want to be found not even the best trackers will be enough."

Naruto turned to leave, his traveling cloak blowing in the wind, "Send her a message telling her to meet me at Hachō Village. I'll meet her there within two days I expect her to be there Itachi."

"Of course Lord Hokage." Itachi bowed as his Hokage left a clone behind and walked to the the gate.

Itachi left to write up the letter his eyes reverting back to their original onyx. He would help his village any way he could, even if it meant bringing _her_ back to the village that had scarred her.

* * *

Naruto wasted no time in getting to Hachō Village. He pushed himself a little faster than necessary to ensure that he arrived in the village well ahead in time. Hachō Village was a small village on the border of The Land of Fire, though not offering much strategic advantage the village was well known for its well crafted jewelry that was sold all throughout the elemental countries.

The small village was surrounded on all sides by rocky mountains in which the villagers resided. Their homes lay nestled in between the rocks on all sides with a large ocean leading out of the village. Naruto picked this village as the meeting spot because of the villages neutral status and popularity. He would not be easily recognized here, they would assume him to only be a tourist.

He sat in a bar on the third day positioned so that he could see who entered and left the establishment. His eyes watched the door waiting for this mystery woman who was told to have healing capabilities rivaling that of Lady Tsunade herself. He had only a rough guess at what she looked like based on Itachi, and that information was at least a year old.

He stretched his enhanced-senses gauging the chakra levels of the patrons in the small cafe. None seemed to have a chakra pressure that rivaled higher than a Tokubetsu Jōnin. Naruto sighed. how was he suppose to test his new awesome powers if there was no one to challenge.

"Expecting a date?" Yamari, the owner of the bar, asked his rimmed glasses reflecting in the dim lighting.

"Hardly." Naruto responded in kind his brows furrowing as if debating with himself. "You haven't seen a girl come through by any chance? She'd be a little shorter then me, waist-length hair, carrying a tanto."

Yamari took a moment to consider if he had seen a girl fitting that description. "Now that you mention it I think I did see a woman like that. Goes by the name Hitomi- pale white hair, one eye the color of darkness the other as pure as the moon, warring personalities. That sound about right?"

"You know a lot about her for her to have slipped your memory," Naruto dryly remarked.

"I wouldn't call it a slip of a memory more like I didn't remember anything to do with her until you brought her up. Weird huh?" Yamari said.

Naruto scratched his chin his mind racing. Was it possible that she had placed a genjutsu on Yamari trying to cover her tracks. But that wouldn't make sense he had asked her here there would be no need in covering her tracks. Unless.

"When was this encounter?" Naruto asked.

"Huh?" Yamari mumbled seeming distracted and disoriented.

This sent off alarm bells and Naruto's head and quickly scanned the room again for any abnormal chakra signatures. There! In the corner of the room close to a back exit was the unmistakable presence of someone trying way too hard to high their presence. Naruto slumped his shoulders playing the act of a drunk and stumbled towards the back exit, tripping every now and then to keep up the charade.

She followed a discreet distance behind but he knew her distinct signature by now there was no way she could hide from him.

He led her further past inns and store fronts, past busy streets and inclosed homes. He continued to lead her farther from civilization all the while keeping up his drunken he deemed they were far away from the prying eyes of the villagers he straightened and turned so that he stared directly at her hiding place in the trees.

She came forth from the trees her eyes glowing in the darkness that surrounded them. He stared transfixed by her mismatched eyes, a testament to the two varying bloodlines fighting within her.

She wore a long sleeved blue shirt and a pair of white shorts that showed of her long tan legs. Naruto was not fooled by her civilian getup and made out the barely noticeable fuinjutsu inscribed on the sleeves of her shirt. She wore her Konoha headband on her head blocking excess hair from spilling into her face. Overall she was beautiful in every standard of the word, her contrasting eye colors only added to her beauty and uniqueness.

"Hitomi Hyuuga… Or should I say Uchiha." Naruto called to her.

She visibly flinched at the name and glared daggers into Naruto her chakra spiking with her anger. Naruto stared on calmly his arms folded across his chest.

"Hitomi Nagata. I claim no relations to those filth that are only fueled by their own selfish ambitions." Her voice was strong and powerful every word enunciated in controlled anger.

Naruto peered at her his eyes drinking in her entire appearance, assessing her. "Yet you wear the insignia of the Hidden Leaf, why?"

Hitomi looked up at her headband as if she had forgotten it was there, "Old habits die hard." She said simply with a shrug. "I was a loyal follower of Konoha until my own family betrayed me and the council left me for dead."

"Ah so the stories of the mix-breed are true then? The girl that would grace the world with the power of both the Hyuuga and Uchiha. But you fell short of their goals didn't you?" It wasn't a question.

"After my mother, an Hyuuga, and my father, an Uchiha, found out that I was born with neither the gift of the byakugan or sharingan, they expelled me from the clans to live my life in the slums of Konoha and to hopefully die in some corner of the village." Hitomi began her story.

"You didn't go off to die in some corner of the village though did you?" Naruto asked already knowing the answer.

She turned her haunted eyes towards the sky, in her eyes Naruto saw the same pain that was in eyes. Loneliness haunted him even after accomplishing his goal of becoming Hokage.

"Quite the opposite, in fact I was driven to show them that I could be an excellent Ninja without either of their 'gifts'." She said the term loosely. "I easily rose through the ranks my perfect chakra control made me one of the best med nin to grace the village since Tsunade herself. There were even talks of me becoming the next slug sannin." Her eyes lit up with memories of her success. "Although I was highly skilled in medical ninjutsu and very highly respected my parents still looked down their noses at me. I was proficient enough in the other arts to be granted a genin team of my own. I trained them relentlessly wanting them to reach their highest potential. After only eight months under my tutelage the Hokage deemed them ready for their first B-ranked mission, something usually only offered to Chunin." Here her voice lowered and pain reflected across her face. "It was going fine at first, too fine to be an A-ranked mission. My senses were on high alert for any shenanigans and my students were also wary. The mission was a simple clearing of pirates on the east coast, ninja had been sighted within the group thus its ranking. I never expected to fight Jinpachi Munashi, he destroyed my genin easily. He took pleasure in blowing their bodies to bits and pieces."

Naruto sat his mind reeling from the information. To have faced off with one of the Seven Swordsmen of The Mist and live was quite the accomplishment.

Hitomi took a shuddering breath and pressed on determined to finish her story, "He had me at his mercy and would have killed me if not for my lineage. I was born with green eyes, an uncommon trait for either sides of my family. The blood of the Uchiha and Hyuga awakened in me in my time of peril, I noticed the change immediately. I could see every detail like a focused camera along with that everything was slower as if I had slowed time."

"But that's impossible no jutsu is able to slow down time." Naruto interrupted.

Hitomi glared at him with her onyx eye one hand on her hip. "You wanted to hear my story now let me finish."

Naruto nodded meekly and sat back down.

Hitomi huffed in annoyance. "Anyway.. That changed the fight drastically and he was easily beaten along with his crew of pirates. I was so eager to show my family my awakened bloodlines. So desperate for their approval that I ran straight to them with the news. The reception I got was a lot worse instead of praise and respect I was met with sneers and cries o freak. Thereafter my family trained me up as a weapon. I was put through grueling training everyday until I fell unconscious. I proved to be an inadequate weapon as I couldn't seem to call upon the power I had done before. They threw me aside and once again shunned me." Her eyes reflecting the anger in her heart. "Do you see now why I hate the Uchiha and Hyuga for what they did to me they do not deserve to call me family."

"I agree." Naruto said his eyes reflecting the same anger and pain that Hitomi felt. "The village that raised me is very cruel and demanding, however it is one of the beautiful places on the face of earth. I'm more than willing to die for the sake of the village, I will do whatever it takes to make the village thrive. A village cannot thrive if its people are dying, we need you."

"You mean to use me?" HItomi questioned.

"Yes." Naruto said not ashamed to admit the truth. "I will use you to shape the village into the most powerful nation this world has ever seen. With you in the village we have the resources that will staunch the flow of bodie that are piling up. Will you help us in our time of need even after we have turned our backs on you?"

Hitomi knew how she would answer even before Naruto had arrived in the village, knew within her heart what needed to be done. "No." She said frankly her eyes betraying nothing.

Naruto blinked once then once more. "Excuse me?"

Hitomi folded her arms under her bust, "You heard me, my answer is no. The village has brought me nothing but pain."

"Surely there had to be some happy moments sprinkled here and there." Naruto tried desperately clinging to the hope that she had something in the village to come back to.

Hitomi shook her head, "Sorry kiddo there's nothing in that village that I would come back for."

"Not even Kakashi Hatake." Naruto revealed his trap card.

Her eyes widened and her breath hitched for a moment. "What happened to Kakashi."

Naruto's face turned grim, "He's really hurt he hasn't woken up in months."

Hitomi turned her head, but Naruto was able to see the tears glistening down her cheek, "Okay, I'll come back and heal Kakashi but that's it i'm not staying any longer you hear me?"

"Of course whatever you like." Naruto said.

They returned to the inn Naruto was staying in to collect his gear. After a stop at the bar to say goodbye to Yamari they were off. Back to the Village Hidden in the Leafs. Back to home.

* * *

**A/N: It's gone, it's all gone. All my notes ideas all gone deleted erased bye bye. I'm sorry guys it has been way too long of a break in between chapters lately. I just finished an awesome book series that has rekindled my love for writing. My creative juices have begun to flow again I hope I can make you guys proud. **

**Recommendation: Seven Realms Series. **


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